Warriors Fall 123-85 in San Antonio, Trailing 18-0 Before They Scored
The Spurs ran off the game's first 18 points, led by 38-14 after one quarter, and Golden State never got within shouting distance of a lead.
The Warriors lost 123-85 to the Spurs at Frost Bank Center, and the game was effectively decided early. San Antonio opened on an 18-0 run, and Golden State never led, never tied and never won a quarter.
Think of a band that drops the needle on the first beat and just doesn't stop. Stephon Castle hit a 23-foot three off a Victor Wembanyama assist at 11:40, and from there it was Castle, Wembanyama, Dylan Harper and De'Aaron Fox trading highlights. Gui Santos finally got Golden State on the board with a driving layup at 5:53. By then the Warriors already trailed 18-2.
A first quarter that cooked the whole meal
The Spurs led 38-14 after one and 63-33 at the half. Golden State's quarter scores read 14, 19, 27 and 25 against San Antonio's 38, 25, 34 and 26. That's four quarters, zero wins, and a 43-point deficit at its widest.
Castle was the headliner, finishing with 32 points on 12-of-18 shooting, 5-of-8 from three, plus 6 assists in 25 minutes. Wembanyama didn't need the spotlight to be the best player on the floor: 12 points, 12 rebounds and 6 assists in just 21 minutes, with a +25 rating. Keldon Johnson added 18 off the bench, and Harrison Barnes chipped in 11.
Where it was lost
It wasn't really about the three-ball. Golden State shot 15-of-41 from deep (37%), better than San Antonio's 14-of-43 (33%). The gap was everything closer to the rim:
- Paint points: Spurs 56, Warriors 28.
- Fast-break points: Spurs 21, Warriors 3.
- Rebounds: Spurs 60, Warriors 43.
- Field goals: Spurs 46-of-95 (48%), Warriors 31-of-93 (33%).
The Spurs also had 34 assists to 23 for the Warriors. That's a team passing the rock like a rhythm section locked in, against one scrambling to find the groove.
The bright spots
LJ Cryer led Golden State with 20 points and 6 assists, and he kept firing in the fourth, hitting a pair of threes between 7:31 and 6:42 to keep the deficit from getting uglier. Charles Bassey was efficient, scoring 11 on 5-of-7 shooting off the bench. Yaxel Lendeborg grabbed a team-high 7 rebounds but went 1-of-13 from the field and finished a minus-40.
The Warriors also committed 22 fouls to San Antonio's 13, which fed the Spurs' 17-of-23 night at the line. On the evening's one flagrant call, Wembanyama converted the free throw.
What's next
Golden State drops to 8-5 overall and 2-4 on the road, and San Antonio improves to 11-2 and leads the season series 1-0. Expect the Warriors to want a quick palate cleanser. They're back on the floor Monday at 8:00 PM ET at the New Orleans Pelicans.
The bigger question is whether they can hold up in transition and in the paint. Those two areas are where this one got away from them.