Warriors lose to Spurs as Draymond Inexperienced duels Wembanyama -

SAN FRANCISCO – With the All-Star break just a few hours away, it could have been comprehensible if the Warriors’ effort was a bit missing on Wednesday evening in opposition to San Antonio.

However taking part in in opposition to one of many West’s high groups, the Steph Curry-less Warriors misplaced 126-113 to the Spurs in a sport that was shut for a lot of it.

Draymond Inexperienced was on triple-double watch whereas guarding Victor Wembanyama, placing up 17 factors, 12 rebounds and eight assists. Wembanyama responded by scoring 26 and blocking two photographs. Neither participant wished to present an inch to the opposite as there was loads of grappling and uncalled fouls because the duo battled for positioning.

De’Anthony Melton scored 17 whereas Moses Moody put in 17 factors. De’Aaron Fox chipped in 27 factors and eight assists for the Spurs, and Keldon Johnson poured in 21 and No. 2 general choose Dylan Harper scored 14 and had seven assists off the San Antonio bench.

The Spurs used a 39-13 second half run to show a 16-point deficit right into a 10-point benefit.

Although Steph Curry sat out his fifth consecutive sport with runner’s knee, the Golden State offense nonetheless discovered a approach to zip up and down the Chase Heart flooring in opposition to a San Antonio outfit taking part in the second leg of a back-to-back, not less than early on.

The Warriors had 12 assists on 14 made baskets within the first quarter, and led 38-31 after 12 minutes. Sustaining that lead within the second quarter was far harder, because the Spurs acquired the Warriors into the foul bonus simply three minutes into the interval. Sturdy play from Gary Payton II helped the Warriors get pleasure from a 67-63 at halftime regardless of foul bother.

Golden State led by as a lot as 16 within the third earlier than a 24-8 Spurs run, spearheaded by Keldon Johnson and the bench, pulled San Antonio inside placing distance. By the top of the third, a buzzer-beating De’Aaron Fox midrange jumper had tied the sport at 94 going into the fourth quarter.

San Antonio pulled away from there.

As a result of no Warriors shall be collaborating in any of the All-Star weekend actions, the gamers can have till Feb. 19 to relaxation.

Guarding Wembanyama

Shutting down All-Star Wembanyama was – as it’s on most workforce’s scouting stories – the highest precedence for the Warriors. He had scored 31 and 26 factors within the November’s baseball-style collection in San Antonio in opposition to Golden State.

However in these high-scoring video games, Draymond Inexperienced made his life troublesome, and Wednesday was no exception even when Wembanyama ultimately discovered a approach to get free.

Draymond Inexperienced started the evening on Wembanyama, being eight inches shorter however making up for that through the use of his decrease middle of gravity to disclaim the Spurs famous person favorable place.

Kerr did his greatest to reflect Inexperienced’s minutes with Wembanyama’s all through the evening. When the Spurs took him out and put Luke Kornet in, the Warriors then subbed in both Quinten Publish or Al Horford.

No person goes to cease Wembanyama, after all, however Inexperienced definitely made issues harder than the Lakers did the evening earlier than, when Wembanyama put in 40 straightforward factors in 26 easy minutes.

Most of Wembanyama’s first-half buckets got here on powerful jumpers, and it was truly certainly one of his non-Inexperienced possessions that drew the loudest cheers from the Chase Heart crowd. Late within the second quarter, 6-foot-1 Pat Spencer pressured 7-5 Wembanyama into a troublesome jumper that clanked off the rim.

1 of 11

Golden State Warriors’ Gary Payton II (0) commits an offensive foul San Antonio Spurs’ Julian Champagnie (30) within the second quarter on the Chase Heart in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Space Information Group)

Develop

Gary Payton II bobblehead day

Gary Payton has guarded elite scorers, been the sparkplug for a championship squad, and lengthy been certainly one of coach Steve Kerr’s favourite gamers.

Now, after Wednesday evening, one can add “Has a bobblehead evening in his honor” to Payton II’s resume.

Along with scoring 10 factors and passing out 5 assists in 14 minutes, Payton obtained a standing ovation after hawking down Devin Vassel on the fastbreak late within the first half and pulling off the spectacular chasedown block.