De’Aaron Fox marked his NBA season debut with a 24-point performance, leading the San Antonio Spurs to a 126-119 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans on Saturday. Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Lakers’ five-game winning streak came to an end in a sloppy defeat at the hands of the Atlanta Hawks.

Fox, who missed San Antonio’s first eight games recovering from a hamstring injury, paced eight Spurs players in double figures. French star Victor Wembanyama added 18 points and 18 rebounds, helping San Antonio withstand a 41-point effort from New Orleans’ Trey Murphy. The Spurs led throughout, taking advantage of a Pelicans roster without Zion Williamson.

After missing his only two shots in the first quarter, Fox found his rhythm, going six-for-six in the second period and scoring 15 points by halftime as the Spurs led 66-58. The Pelicans narrowed a 14-point fourth-quarter deficit to three in the final minute, but Fox’s decisive basket and follow-up free throws sealed the win.

“Oh, I was extremely excited,” Fox said. “Obviously I have nerves like anybody, but my teammates trust me, I trust them … I’m just trying to help get wins.”

Lakers Struggle Without Key Players

In Atlanta, the Lakers, riding a five-game winning streak, faltered despite Luka Doncic’s 22 points and 11 assists. However, five of Doncic’s 20 turnovers contributed to 36 Hawks points.

Forward Mouhamed Gueye led the Hawks with 21 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists, filling the void left by injured stars Kristaps Porzingis, Jalen Johnson, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, and Trae Young. Los Angeles also played without Austin Reaves, while LeBron James is yet to debut this season due to sciatica.

Trailing by as many as 30 points, the Lakers managed to cut the deficit to nine early in the third quarter, but Atlanta responded with a 20-4 run. Zachcharie Risacher electrified the crowd with a thunderous dunk off a Lakers turnover.

Jokic Leads Nuggets to Victory

The Denver Nuggets, led by Nikola Jokic’s sixth triple-double of the season, defeated the Indiana Pacers 117-100. The Serbian MVP scored 32 points with 14 rebounds and 14 assists in just 32 minutes, guiding Denver to its fourth consecutive win despite missing Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon.

Cavaliers and Heat Secure Wins

In Cleveland, Donovan Mitchell scored 29 points, including the go-ahead basket with 33.4 seconds left, as the Cavaliers overcame a 19-point deficit to beat the Chicago Bulls 128-122. De’Andre Hunter also contributed 29 points in the comeback.

The Miami Heat edged the Portland Trail Blazers 136-131 in a fast-paced matchup. Nikola Jovic recorded a career-high 29 points off the bench, while Norman Powell added 22, helping Miami win without star center Bam Adebayo, who was sidelined with a toe injury.