The Spurs are thankful for their first realistic shot at the NBA Cup after Wednesday’s win over the Trail Blazers. De’Aaron Fox scored a team high and tied for a game high 37 points with 8 assists and 3 steals.
Devin Vassell contributed 23 points, and Julian Champagnie notched a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds.
I am thankful for De’Aaron Fox for choosing the Spurs. Sure, drafted players come, they stay, they become All-Stars, they win championships, and they make music videos like Balance Toi because drafted Spurs players are homegrown. Free agents, however, don’t fall out of trees and into the river walk. Other than Fox, notable (and All-Star level) free agents who chose the Spurs and the Spurs Way join a very short list of hallowed Spurs like LaMarcus Aldrige and . . . that’s it. When considering the free agent’s status in the league at the time they signed, Aldridge and Fox are the list. That in of itself is something to be thankful for.
I am thankful for Dylan Harper’s return from injury. The rookie came off the bench for a quick 7 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals in 16 minutes of play. Since Dylan Harper’s dad, Ron Harper, is besties with Michael Jordan, do y’all think there was at least one Thanksgiving when MJ goes, “Of all the (expletives) I’ve had to play with, that Bill Murray (Space Jam) is a chucker.”?
I am thankful for Devin Vassell’s cool-looking buzzer beater. The six-year vet has integrated beautifully with the added firepower of Victor Wembanyama, De’Aaron Fox, and Stephon Castle, but Wednesday night served as a reminder of Vassell’s ability to play both ends—after all, it was not too long ago when he averaged 19.5 points per game.
I am thankful for Keldon Johnson’s endless, frenetic, rabid, and unbridled motor. While he is a vastly different style of player than Manu Ginóbili, both players share the embodiment of a sixth man: unselfish, instant offense, and human stand-in for the Energizer Bunny. They keep going and going and going and going and some ad man got paid a lot of money to come up with that popular slogan.
Devin Vassell is thankful for this errant pass that is also the easiest way to register a steal on the box score. When they say don’t look a gift horse in the mouth, do they say that because horses have halitosis or something? Who was the first person to think, “Hmmm, if I melt down this horse, I can make things stick to each other!” If you think these jokes are like beating a dead horse, I have one last one for you: A horse walks into a bar. The bartender says, “Why the long face?”
I am NOT thankful for whoever in charge that decided NOT to have a Fiesta-colored court for one of these NBA Cup home Spurs games. Nothing would slap better than court colors that treat your eyes to pure unadulterated hues of yellow, orange, turquoise, and pink. A quick google search tells me the great city of San Antonio’s official colors are Pearl White, Rio Blue, Nopales Green, Fiesta Gold, and Concha Pink, and why does reading that make me very hungry. Full circle moment: Nopales Green and Concha Pink would make great horse racing names!
What you should take from this mini side quest of a rant in a highlights article is that, yes, I am thankful for Victor Wembanyama and De’Aaron Fox, and I cannot wait to see them BOTH on the court together again (again) because just look at this beautiful lob from Fox to Luke Kornet. That can be him and Wemby (insert Wolverine touching picture frame meme)!
I am thankful for Danny Green. If you looked up “second chance” and “stubborn resilience” in the dictionary, you’ll see a picture of Danny Green—with Coach Popovich probably barking at him in the background. Dude was one step away from leaving the league altogether to becoming a two-time NBA champion thanks to his dogged determination and one Gregg Popovich seeing something in him and providing that second opportunity.
And finally, I am thankful for the Pounding the Rock community. It only seems appropriate to send you diehard fans out on Turkey Day with a reminder that Tony Parker once had a banger of a rap single. It’s so old, the official video on YouTube (link below) was not even in high definition. It’s so old, Grey’s Anatomy was barely 2 seasons in. It’s so old, LeBron James got to share the court with the great (and former Spur, NBA champion) Kevin Willis. It’s so old, Nico Harrison tried to steal the DeLorean to travel to 2007 to trade Dirk Nowitzki to the Lakers for Andrew Bynum. But seriously, play this video right before your Aunt Bethany recites the pledge of allegiance when saying grace for dinner.
If you missed the game because you were too busy brining the turkey, here are the full-game highlights:
Next up, the Silver and Black head over to Denver on Black Friday, November 28, 2025 to take on the Nuggets.
