The San Antonio Spurs snapped the Utah Jazz’s rhythm with a commanding 126-109 victory Thursday night in Salt Lake City. De’Aaron Fox led the way with 31 points, hitting six 3-pointers while shooting 10-of-13 from the field. Victor Wembanyama added 26 points, 13 rebounds, and five blocks, shooting 9-of-14 with four 3s, bouncing back after a rough outing against Houston.
Keldon Johnson chipped in 21 points, and Stephon Castle contributed 16 points, eight assists, and seven rebounds as the Spurs won their fourth game in five. San Antonio’s fast-break game proved decisive, outscoring the Jazz 32-10 in transition. The Spurs also shot a strong 50.6% from the field and 41.9% from deep.
For Utah, Jusuf Nurkic recorded his second straight triple-double, finishing with 17 points, 14 assists, and 11 rebounds — becoming the first Jazz player with back-to-back triple-doubles since Pete Maravich in January 1975. Ace Bailey scored a career-high 25 points, and Keyonte George added 23, but the duo could not carry the Jazz in the fourth quarter.
The game was close early, tied at 31 after one quarter. However, the Spurs surged with a 17-2 run early in the second, capped by Julian Champagnie’s fourth 3-pointer of the half. The Jazz briefly tied it at 99 in the fourth, but a 27-10 Spurs run sealed the game, highlighted by a Fox 3-pointer giving San Antonio a 109-99 lead with under seven minutes remaining.
The Jazz continue to struggle without Lauri Markkanen, sitting out due to illness, leaving the team 1-11 in his absence. Utah’s defensive woes persist, allowing 127.3 points per game, the highest in the NBA.
