Wembanyama returns to help Spurs rally past Warriors

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Victor Wembanyama scored 25 points, Harrison Barnes had 22 and the San Antonio Spurs overcame a 17-point third-quarter deficit to beat the Golden State Warriors 104-94 on Saturday night.

Trailing 81-64 with 1:55 left in the third quarter, San Antonio closed the game on a 40-13 run to win three straight for the first time since January 2021.

Wembanyama added nine assists, seven rebounds and three blocks in his return from a three-game absence with a bruised right knee.

San Antonio rookie Stephon Castle added 19 points and stole the dribble from Golden State’s Stephen Curry behind the 3-point line, with 1:46 remaining to preserve an eight-point lead.

Andrew Wiggins had 20 points and Curry had 14 points for the Warriors, who had won two straight. Trayce Jackson-Davis added 12 points and eight rebounds.

San Antonio went on an 11-0 run for a 97-90 lead with Castle and Wembanyama accounting for all but two points. Golden State was held scoreless for 4 1/2 minutes and did not make a field goal for 5:19.

Takeaways

Warriors: Golden State’s bench, which was averaging 54 points, was held to 36 points.

Spurs: Prior to its fourth quarter surge, San Antonio’s only previously led for 22 seconds. Barnes hit the opening basket on a cutting layup 21 seconds into the first quarter. Golden State then went on an 11-0 run for a 20-8 lead.

Key moment

Castle scored on a driving layup with 4:25 remaining to spark the Spurs’ closing run. He followed that with a 3-pointer from 27 feet, Wembanyama drained a 3 from 31 feet and Castle made one of two free throws to put the Spurs up 97-90 with 2:28 remaining.