Without what may very well be three of their four best players, the San Antonio Spurs were trying to hold on and avoid a three-game losing streak. Frankly, it helped that the struggling Sacramento Kings were the opponent. But combine the King's individual talent with the absence of Victor Wembanyama, Stephon Castle, and Dylan Harper, and securing a win would prove no simple feat for De'Aaron Fox and the Spurs, who were on the court.

An All-Star in 2023 and one of the NBA's top consistent scorers for the better part of the last six seasons, Fox has frequently talked about why the Spurs traded for him from Sacramento last February.

ClutchPoints asked the nine-year veteran if the 123-110 victory represented one of those instances.

“You kind of still stay within..,,” Fox responded before pausing and clarifying a bit.

“Yeah, I mean, I try to stay aggressive regardless of who's out there, but, obviously, not having two guys who have the ball in their hands a lot, yeah, I know I'm gonna have the ball a little more.”

“We had a group of guys that all stepped up, and for me, it's continuing to try to do what I'm doing and be a little more aggressive, but knowing that I have other guys that are able to put the ball in the basket as well,” the former star at Kentucky added.

De'Aaron Fox carries Spurs to shorthanded victory

The NBA's Clutch Player of the Year was coming off probably his roughest outing as a Spur. After losing to the Golden State Warriors in the first of back-to-back contests against the Dubs, the Silver and Black built a ten-point lead more than midway through the fourth quarter. But missed shots and turnovers plagued Fox and the Spurs down the stretch. That included a misfire on a potential game-winner at the buzzer.

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Given his arrival past the midpoint of last season and surgery on his shooting hand that ended his year prematurely, Fox has played in just 22 games total with the Spurs.

ClutchPoints talked with Harrison Barnes about Fox's prowess as a creator and scorer. The 14-year NBA vet spent five-plus seasons with Fox in Sacramento.

“Absolutely. I mean, I think this is maybe his fifth, fourth, sixth game back,” Barnes responded, alluding to what he's seen time and again from Fox over his career.

“[He] Didn't have training camp, you know what I mean?” Barnes continued. “I think there's still a process of him getting his legs underneath him, but he's starting to get into form, continue to be himself. I think as the season goes on, he's just going to get better and better. And I think just the collective reps that we get with him as the point guard, him on the floor in different situations, it's only gonna get better.”

Fox's 22 points per game through just five games this season (hamstring injury in the off-season delayed his start) ranks second behind Wemby's 26.2.

Although in Wembayama's absence, Fox is more than comfortable assuming a role he's known for years – a role the Spurs will need plenty more of if they are to contend.