The San Antonio Spurs’ high-flying run came to an abrupt halt on Saturday night at the Frost Bank Center, as the Utah Jazz snapped the Spurs’ league-best eight-game winning streak with a 127-114 victory. Coming off a statement Christmas Day win over the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder, the Spurs entered the matchup brimming with confidence. But Utah, fresh off a dramatic win over the Eastern Conference-leading Detroit Pistons, proved they were no pushovers, outshooting and outworking the home team in a contest that tested San Antonio’s depth and resolve.
After spending nearly a month on the road, the Spurs were finally back for consecutive home games—a rarity in their recent schedule. The crowd buzzed with anticipation, especially with the return of Victor Wembanyama to the starting lineup. The 7-foot-4 phenom, who had missed 12 games due to a strained left calf, wasted no time making his presence felt. In just under 28 minutes, Wembanyama poured in 32 points, grabbed seven rebounds, swatted five shots, and dished out three assists. His impact was immediate, and his highlight-reel dunks sent the home fans into a frenzy. One particularly emphatic one-handed slam early in the fourth quarter, followed by a made free throw, cut Utah’s once-formidable lead to just three points, 104-101, with 8:49 left to play.
But the Jazz, led by Lauri Markkanen’s 29 points and Keyonte George’s 28, refused to let the game slip away. Walter Clayton Jr. added 17 points, while Jusuf Nurkic chipped in 16, giving Utah a balanced attack that kept San Antonio’s defense scrambling. The visitors’ shooting was red-hot, connecting on 17 of 37 attempts from beyond the arc—a sizzling 46 percent. In contrast, the Spurs struggled from deep, hitting just 23 percent of their own three-point attempts. That disparity proved insurmountable, especially with the Spurs missing their All-Star guard De’Aaron Fox, who was sidelined with tightness in his left adductor.
The absence of Fox was felt on both ends of the floor. Just days earlier, Fox had been the driving force in San Antonio’s Christmas Day triumph over Oklahoma City, dropping 29 points and going a perfect 3-for-3 from three-point range in the opening quarter. Alongside Stephon Castle—who notched 19 points and seven assists in that contest—Fox helped the Spurs weather a furious Thunder start and answer every run with poise. Castle’s stepback jumper over Shai Gilgeous-Alexander late in that game sealed the win, capping a performance that had national pundits buzzing. "The furious power of Stephon Castle," as Mike Tirico put it, was on full display.
Against Utah, Castle again showed flashes of brilliance, finishing with 20 points as he tried to pick up the slack in Fox’s absence. Keldon Johnson was another bright spot for San Antonio, pouring in 27 points on just 14 shots and collecting 10 rebounds. Yet, despite their efforts, the Spurs struggled to match Utah’s energy and execution, particularly after a strong start.
San Antonio jumped out to an early lead, riding a 40-point first quarter to go up by eight. Coach Mitch Johnson’s decision to go deep into his bench in the second period, however, backfired. As Carter Bryant, Lindy Waters III, and Jeremy Sochan—players who had seen limited minutes lately—took the floor, the team’s cohesion faltered. Utah seized the momentum, outscoring the Spurs 38-20 in the second quarter and flipping the script. By halftime, the Jazz held a 10-point edge, and their confidence only grew from there.
“The Jazz have beaten some good teams this season,” observed one analyst. “The list includes the Pistons, Celtics, Rockets, and now Spurs.” Utah’s recent run of form was no fluke, and their ability to execute offensively against a normally stout Spurs defense was telling. Markkanen, in particular, was a matchup nightmare, scoring efficiently and stretching the floor with his shooting. “The Finnisher dropped 29 points on 16 shots,” one observer noted, lamenting how well he’d fit in San Antonio’s system if only the price were right.
The third quarter saw Utah extend their lead to as much as 17, and though San Antonio mounted a rally behind Wembanyama, Castle, and Julian Champagnie, they never quite found the defensive stops or shooting rhythm needed to complete the comeback. The Jazz’s relentless three-point shooting kept them a step ahead, and the Spurs’ own outside woes—just 23 percent from deep—proved too much to overcome.
There were moments when it seemed the Spurs might pull off another late-game escape. Wembanyama’s spectacular dunk galvanized the crowd, and Harper, Champagnie, and Castle kept the offense afloat. But when Castle briefly checked out with a calf concern after a dunk, the optimism faded. Fortunately, the reigning Rookie of the Year returned, but the damage had been done. Utah’s shooters continued to torch the nets, and San Antonio’s defense couldn’t generate the stops needed to turn the tide.
It was a humbling loss for a young Spurs squad that had, until this point, avoided dropping games to teams with losing records. “A loss against an inferior team was bound to happen. Hopefully, they’ll learn from this,” remarked one local columnist. The defeat ended San Antonio’s impressive eight-game winning streak and served as a reminder that no NBA opponent can be taken lightly—even those with subpar records.
Looking ahead, the Spurs don’t have much time to dwell on the loss. They’re set to host the Cleveland Cavaliers on Monday, December 29, 2025, with tip-off scheduled for 7 p.m. Central Time. The Jazz, meanwhile, will try to keep their momentum rolling when they host the Boston Celtics on Tuesday.
For San Antonio, the focus now shifts to regrouping and rediscovering the energy and execution that fueled their recent surge. With Wembanyama back in the fold and Fox’s return on the horizon, the Spurs remain one of the most intriguing young teams in the league. Saturday’s defeat stung, but it also offered valuable lessons—and in the marathon that is the NBA season, it’s how they respond that will define their campaign.
