De’Aaron Fox delivered in the clutch, scoring 11 straight points in the final three minutes to lift the San Antonio Spurs past the Phoenix Suns 120-109 on Thursday night.
Fox finished with 26 points, nine rebounds, seven assists, two steals, and two blocks as San Antonio secured the win just hours after learning that Victor Wembanyama would miss the rest of the season due to a blood clot in his right shoulder.
Keldon Johnson and Julian Champagnie each contributed 15 points for the Spurs, while Stephon Castle pulled down 10 rebounds. Chris Paul added 10 assists.
Royce O’Neale led Phoenix with 27 points, shooting 10-of-16 from the field, while Kevin Durant scored 22 in his return to the University of Texas campus. The Suns have now lost four straight games and seven of their last eight.
San Antonio controlled the paint, outscoring Phoenix 50-36 in that area despite missing Wembanyama and his usual backup, Charles Bassey, who was sidelined for the sixth straight game with a knee injury. The Spurs also held a 44-39 rebounding advantage.
Bismack Biyombo, playing on the last day of his 10-day contract, started in Wembanyama’s place and finished with eight points in 16 minutes. The veteran center provided a spark in the third quarter, scoring six points as San Antonio extended its lead.
Phoenix struggled offensively, with Devin Booker managing just 17 points on 4-of-14 shooting and Tyus Jones adding only three points on 1-of-9 from the field. Bradley Beal provided a lift off the bench with 19 points and six assists, while Grayson Allen chipped in 11.
San Antonio improved to 24-29, sitting 12th in the Western Conference standings, while Phoenix dropped to 26-29, one spot ahead in 11th place.
The two teams will meet again in Austin on Saturday, with the Spurs looking to sweep the back-to-back series.
