The Golden State Warriors narrowly avoided defeat against the San Antonio Spurs on Sunday night. Racking up their 40th win of the season 117-113. Now 40-34, the Warriors are two games ahead of the Rockets for the 10th seed in the Western Conference.
It was far from an impressive performance from the Dubs, facing one of the worst teams in the league. The Spurs jumped ahead by 13 points in the first quarter and led for the vast majority of the first half, entering the half ahead 60-52.
Spurs rookie Victor Wembanyama seemed to have a particular chip on his shoulder throughout the matchup, showcasing his potential to be a face of the league. Wembanyama finished the game with 32 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists, 4 steals, and 3 blocks. No one else on San Antonio scored more than 18 points, but five of Wembanyama’s teammates finished in double figures.
The Warriors, on the other hand, relied on their two experienced faces of the franchise. Steph Curry led the way with 33 points on 12-for-23 shooting from the field with 8 assists and Draymond Green easily had his most productive all-around performance of the season. Green scored 21 points on 8-for-9 shooting from the field with 6 rebounds, 11 assists, and 6 steals.
Warriors rookie Brandin Podziemski, who was recently relegated to the bench for Klay Thompson, had a performance reminiscent of his strong start to the season. Podz was far from transcendent, but he impacted the game in several ways throughout his 24 minutes of action, recording 12 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals.
Golden State took control of the game with an explosive third quarter, and never trailed again. They extended their lead to 13 points early in the fourth quarter, but were unable to put San Antonio away until the final moments.
The Dubs lead 113-102 with 2:12 left in regulation, but a 9-0 run (6 points scored by Wembanyama) in the next 75 seconds, made it a two-point game in the final minute. Thompson knocked down a three with 39 seconds remaining, to give the Warriors a five-point lead, which ultimately gave Golden State the breathing room they’d need to finish off the win.
The Warriors will head back home to the Bay Area. They are scheduled to host the Mavericks on Tuesday at Chase Center. Opening tip is scheduled for 7:00 PM Pacific.
