Wembanyama out, Spurs beat Kings 123-110 behind Fox’s 28 pts

Without their franchise cornerstone, the San Antonio Spurs proved they could still handle business on Sunday, November 16, 2025, dismantling the Sacramento Kings 123-110 at the Frost Bank Center in a regular season showdown. Victor Wembanyama was ruled out with left calf tightness, shifting all eyes to his teammates — and they answered with authority.

Fox takes command as Spurs surge from the opening tip

San Antonio set the tone early, riding a collective offensive effort to establish a cushion that Sacramento never truly threatened. De’Aaron Fox, in his new Spurs uniform, wasted no time asserting himself as the team’s engine, carving up the Kings defense with his trademark burst and playmaking vision in the first half. Harrison Barnes provided the steady scoring punch alongside him, connecting on 7-of-11 from the field for 20 points on an efficient shooting night. The Spurs’ ball movement kept Sacramento’s defense scrambling throughout the first two quarters.

The third quarter is where San Antonio effectively sealed matters. Fox elevated his aggression, while Devin Vassell added 16 points and 7 assists, operating as a facilitator and secondary scorer who kept the Sacramento defense honest. The Spurs’ lead expanded to a margin that gave the Kings no realistic path back into the contest.

In the final frame, San Antonio simply managed the game. Keldon Johnson, whose 14-point, 12-rebound double-double was a revelation, and Luke Kornet — a perfect 5-for-5 from the floor with 13 points, 11 rebounds, and 3 blocks — ensured there would be no late drama. The Spurs closed out 123-110 without breaking a sweat.

Fox’s masterclass and Kornet’s surprising impact define the night

The signature sequence of the evening belonged to De’Aaron Fox, who finished with 28 points, 11 assists, and a +20 plus-minus — a stunning individual performance that redefined the Spurs’ offensive ceiling even without their star big man. His 4-of-8 clip from three-point range gave San Antonio a dimension that stretched Sacramento’s defense beyond its limits.

Equally compelling was Luke Kornet’s night. The backup center stepped into a vastly expanded role in the absence of the n°1 pick of the 2023 NBA Draft and delivered one of his most complete performances, logging a near-flawless shooting line and anchoring the paint defensively with three rejections. It was the kind of complementary effort that makes a team genuinely dangerous even when its centerpiece is unavailable.

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Une victoire collective qui révèle la profondeur des Spurs

The box score tells a balanced story. Five Spurs players reached double figures in scoring, and no single contributor was overwhelmed by the added responsibility. The Kings, for their part, got strong individual numbers from DeMar DeRozan (27 pts, 12-of-15 FG) and Dennis Schroder (22 pts, 5 threes), but Sacramento was never cohesive enough to sustain a real challenge. Domantas Sabonis posted a 17-point, 13-rebound double-double yet finished at -7, a reflection of how thoroughly the Spurs controlled the game’s structure.

• De’Aaron Fox (Spurs): 28 pts, 11 ast, +20, 4/8 from three
• Harrison Barnes (Spurs): 20 pts, 7/11 FG, +16
• Keldon Johnson (Spurs): 14 pts, 12 reb, +8
• Luke Kornet (Spurs): 13 pts, 11 reb, 3 blk, 5/5 FG
• DeMar DeRozan (Kings): 27 pts, 12/15 FG, -23

Wembanyama’s absence tests the roster’s depth — and they delivered

The calf tightness that sidelined Victor Wembanyama adds a layer of concern to what has otherwise been a promising start to San Antonio’s regular season. The phénomène’s availability going forward will be closely monitored, and the Spurs’ medical staff will be cautious with their most irreplaceable asset. That said, Sunday’s result demonstrated that this roster has genuine depth — a reassuring sign for the long haul of the 2025-26 campaign.

Eyes on Wembanyama’s return and the next challenge

San Antonio will look to carry this momentum forward, though all attention will be fixed on the timeline for Wembanyama’s return. The Spurs’ ability to win without him is an encouraging data point, but the team’s true ceiling only emerges when the young Frenchman is on the floor. The next game will offer another opportunity to test this squad’s resilience — with or without its cornerstone in the lineup.