Warriors Start Slow, End Fast Against Spurs
SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Stephen Curry scored 29 points, Klay Thompson had 23 and the Golden State Warriors rallied from a 22-point deficit in the opening quarter to beat the San Antonio Spurs 110-98 on Wednesday night for their ninth straight win.
Golden State extended its lead over San Antonio to 3 1/2 games for the league's best record, beating the Spurs for the first time in three meetings this season.
Kawhi Leonard had 19 points and five assists for San Antonio. Leonard shot 7 for 20 from the field while being guarded by a rotation of defenders.
The Spurs had a five-game winning streak halted in inglorious fashion. San Antonio got off to its best start of the season two days after dismantling Cleveland in a 29-point victory. The Spurs raced to a 33-17 lead in the opening quarter, matching their largest lead of the season after the first quarter.
Andre Iguodala's 20-foot fadeaway jumper off one leg in the final seconds kept the Warriors from matching a season-low for points in the opening period.
Iguodala finished with 14 points.
Golden State rallied from that horrendous start, overcoming a 22-point deficit in the first quarter to take its first lead at 59-57 on Thompson's 3-pointer 1:20 into the second half.
The Warriors outscored the Spurs 93-65 after the first quarter.
Golden State finished 13 for 26 on 3-pointers after shooting 2 of 5 on 3-pointers in the first quarter. San Antonio had 14 turnovers in the final three quarters.
Warriors forward David West, who was met with a chorus of boos upon entering the game, finished with 15 points. West signed with Golden State in the offseason after playing for San Antonio last season on a discounted contract.
Manu Ginobili had 18 points for San Antonio, and LaMarcus Aldridge added 17.
TIP-INS
Warriors: Golden State forward Kevin Durant worked out on the court before the game, but remains sidelined by an injured left knee. Warriors coach Steve Kerr said there is no update on a possible return, but is encouraged that Durant is moving well and progressing. Durant played a "hard" 1-on-1 against Golden State assistant coach Willie Green earlier in the day. "Kevin got him pretty good," Kerr said. "It's a good sign. If Willie had beaten him, I would have been worried." ... Curry has 289 3-pointers this season, second-most in league history, surpassing the 286 he made in 2015. Curry set the league record with 402 3s last season. ... Golden State has seven winning streaks of at least seven games in three seasons under Kerr.
Spurs: Ginobili has played 987 regular-season games in his career, tying Hall of Famer David Robinson for third all-time in franchise history behind Tony Parker (1,136) and Tim Duncan (1,392). ... PG Patty Mills has 582 career 3-pointers, one more than Hall of Famer Michael Jordan. ... San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich said rookie Dejounte Murray is progressing slowly, but remains out with a left groin injury. ... San Antonio has eight games remaining, including four at home. ... The Spurs are 106-57 overall against the Warriors.
UP NEXT
Warriors: Host Houston on Friday night.
Spurs: At Oklahoma City on Friday night.
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