Fox returns after extended absence to score 24 points to seal Spurs victory over Pelicans

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — San Antonio Spurs point guard De’Aaron Fox is back, finally.

Fox was patient in his impatience, eager to make his season debut but realizing he could not rush coming back from a hamstring injury. His teammates were not always as patient.

“We’ve been waiting for Fox to get back, really all summer,” San Antonio guard Stephon Castle said. “It’s great to have him back on the court. Obviously, you see how much of a help offensively he is for us. It’s only up from here.”

The return went better than expected.

Admitting there was some rust, Fox still calmly drained a 10-foot, floating jumper with 29 seconds remaining that sealed a 126-119 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans on Saturday night. Fox led the Spurs with 24 points on 9-for-14 shooting in his first game since March 12.

“I mean, I’m good at basketball,” Fox said, smiling when asked about that final shot. “So, you can still have rust and be able to do that.”

That confidence and ability to close games was a key reason San Antonio acquired the 2023 NBA Clutch Player of the Year and All-Star to join its youthful roster. San Antonio acquired Fox from Sacramento in a three-team trade with Chicago on Feb. 5 and signed him to a four-year extension on Aug. 5.

“He’s dynamic,” Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said. “He’s done it plenty of times and it’s good to have him back on the court and hopefully we can just continue to build.”

San Antonio and Fox have waited eight months to fully begin rebuilding a storied franchise that has missed the playoffs in six straight seasons after a run of 22 straight postseason appearances and five NBA championships.

Fox’s season ended March 12 when he opted to undergo season-ending surgery to repair a torn tendon in his left pinky finger. He then sustained a right hamstring injury during the offseason as he prepared for his first full season with the Spurs.

Fox was playing in his third five-on-five game since being cleared from hand surgery when he injured his right hamstring. The first time he played fullcourt was two weeks ago.

Fox never had a hamstring injury previously, so he was unsure how long he would be out. Still, it was tough for him not to want to return earlier.

“Absolutely,” Fox said. “For me, as a player and as a competitor, obviously I want to get out there. But I’m listening to (the medical staff) and they have the best interest for me because obviously I signed a contract to be here long term, so they want to protect the asset and make sure the asset is ready when I’m out there. So, for me, it was just trusting that, trusting the process and I feel like we did a great job this summer and up in the early parts of the season.”

Fox returned to team with Wembanyama for only the sixth time. It was also the first time Fox started alongside Castle.

“He’s one of those guys like Steph Curry,” Fox said of Wembanyama. “There’s not a lot of people like that that just have that type of gravity when they don’t have the ball. Vic is one of those guys and he opens it up for everybody else.”

San Antonio responded with eight players in double figures. Wembanyama had 18 points and 18 rebounds, and Castle had 14 points and 14 assists as the Spurs won their second straight after two losses following a franchise-best 5-0 start.

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