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SAN ANTONIO — The San Antonio Spurs scored the first 18 points Friday night and never let the Golden State Warriors into the game, rolling to a 123-85 win at Frost Bank Center for their 11th straight victory.
Stephon Castle scored a season-high 32 points on 12-of-18 shooting, including 5-of-8 from 3-point range, with 6 assists in 25 minutes. Victor Wembanyama had 12 points, 12 rebounds, 6 assists, and 2 blocks for the 121st double-double of his career.
San Antonio improved to 11-2 and 2-0 in West Group C. Golden State fell to 8-5 and 1-1, its second straight loss after an eight-game winning streak. The Warriors were without Stephen Curry (right oblique tear), Jimmy Butler III, and Moses Moody, and Kristaps Porziņģis was not with the team.
San Antonio Opens With An 18-0 Run
Castle hit two 3-pointers in the first two minutes, both on passes from Wembanyama, and San Antonio’s defense turned Golden State’s misses and turnovers into transition baskets. Dylan Harper threw one alley-oop to Wembanyama and set up a Wembanyama dunk with a steal, and a De’Aaron Fox steal led to a Castle layup. The Warriors missed their first 11 shots and did not score until Gui Santos drove for a layup with 5:53 left in the first quarter.
Golden State shot 5-of-25 in the first quarter and trailed 38-14, the fewest points a Spurs opponent has scored in any quarter this season. San Antonio led 63-33 at halftime and never trailed.
Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said his team was sharp with its game plan and its attention to detail. San Antonio finished with 21 fast-break points to Golden State’s 3.
“I think the defense probably ignites the offense more than vice versa,” Johnson said.
Stephon Castle Makes Golden State Pay
Opponents have often put a center on Castle and sagged into the paint, daring him to shoot. He had his best 3-point night of the season by percentage, including a 28-footer from Julian Champagnie midway through the third quarter that made it 82-47. Castle scored 14 points in that quarter and did not play in the fourth.
Castle said his biggest problem this season had been passing up open shots and forcing worse ones.
“The biggest obstacle I had was really myself,” Castle said.
Harrison Barnes’ 3-pointer with 56.7 seconds left in the third quarter made it 95-52, San Antonio’s biggest lead. Keldon Johnson scored 18 off the bench, and the Spurs outscored Golden State 56-28 in the paint and outrebounded the Warriors 60-43.
Draymond Green’s Flagrant Foul And A Cold Night For Golden State
With 6:47 left in the first half, Harper hit a transition 3-pointer off a Castle pass, and Draymond Green shoved Wembanyama from behind with a forearm, sending him out of bounds. Green was called for a Flagrant Foul 1, Wembanyama made the free throw, and San Antonio led 46-22. Green did not return in the first half and finished with 4 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 assists in 16 minutes.
Wembanyama said afterward that he is ready to put his body on the line for the team if it allows San Antonio to win by 40.
“It’s not a good basketball strategy, and it shows,” Wembanyama said.
LJ Cryer led Golden State with a career-high 20 points and six 3-pointers. Yaxel Lendeborg went 1-of-13 from the field and was minus-40, and the Warriors shot 33.3% overall.
The game drew a sellout crowd of 18,849. San Antonio visits the Utah Jazz on Sunday at 4 p.m. CT, and Golden State visits the New Orleans Pelicans on Monday at 7 p.m. CT.
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