The San Antonio Spurs routed the Golden State Warriors 123-85 in an NBA Cup game on Friday night, extending their league-best winning streak to 11 games.
Stephon Castle scored a season-high 32 points, shooting 12 for 18 from the floor and making five of his eight three-pointers. Victor Wembanyama added 12 points and 12 rebounds in a game that was decided long before the final minutes. The win kept San Antonio unbeaten in NBA Cup play at 2-0 in West Group C.
The Spurs opened the game on an 18-0 run, capped by a reverse dunk from Wembanyama off a lob from Castle with 7:31 left in the first quarter. It was San Antonio's longest run to start a game in the past 30 seasons and the largest the Warriors have allowed to open a game since Steve Kerr became their coach. The Spurs led 38-14 after the first quarter and 63-33 at halftime, and they stretched the margin to 43 points in the third quarter.
Golden State played without Stephen Curry, who is expected to miss at least two weeks with a right oblique tear. He was hurt in a 115-108 loss at Houston on Wednesday. Without him, the Warriors had only two players in double figures. L.J. Cryer scored 20 points and Charles Bassey added 11.
The night also had a flashpoint. With 6:47 left in the first half, Draymond Green was called for a Flagrant Foul 1 after shoving Wembanyama from behind with his forearm, sending the Spurs center tumbling out of bounds. Green did not return in the first half and finished with four points, three rebounds and three assists in 16 minutes. Wembanyama said afterward that he was not surprised by the foul.
San Antonio dominated inside, outscoring Golden State 56-28 in the paint. Spurs coach Mitch Johnson praised Castle for being involved in everything the team did. With the game out of reach, Johnson rested his starters in the third quarter, and they did not return in the fourth.
Castle scored 18 points in the first half and was the only player in double figures for either team before the break. The Warriors did cut the deficit to 18 points early in the second quarter on a three-pointer by Georges Niang, but San Antonio quickly pulled away again.
The defending NBA Cup champion New York Knicks fell to 0-2 in group play on the same night. The Spurs are next scheduled to face the Utah Jazz on Sunday, while the Warriors travel to New Orleans on Monday.
