SAN FRANCISCO – With the All-Star break only a few hours away, it would have been understandable if the Warriors’ effort was a bit lacking on Wednesday night against San Antonio.
But playing against one of the West’s top teams, the Steph Curry-less Warriors lost 126-113 to the Spurs in a game that was close for much of it.
Draymond Green was on triple-double watch while guarding Victor Wembanyama, putting up 17 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists. Wembanyama responded by scoring 26 and blocking two shots. Neither player wanted to give an inch to the other, as there was plenty of grappling and uncalled fouls as the duo battled for positioning.
De’Anthony Melton scored 17 while Moses Moody put in 17 points. De’Aaron Fox chipped in 27 points and eight assists for the Spurs, and Keldon Johnson poured in 21 and No. 2 overall pick Dylan Harper scored 14 and had seven assists off the San Antonio bench.
The Spurs used a 39-13 second-half run to turn a 16-point deficit into a 10-point advantage.
Though Steph Curry sat out his fifth consecutive game with runner’s knee, the Golden State offense still found a way to zip up and down the Chase Center floor against a San Antonio outfit playing the second leg of a back-to-back, at least early on.
The Warriors had 12 assists on 14 made baskets in the first quarter, and led 38-31 after 12 minutes. Maintaining that lead in the second quarter was far more difficult, as the Spurs got the Warriors into the foul bonus just three minutes into the period. Strong play from Gary Payton II helped the Warriors enjoy a 67-63 lead at halftime despite foul trouble.
Golden State led by as much as 16 in the third before a 24-8 Spurs run, spearheaded by Keldon Johnson and the bench, pulled San Antonio within striking distance. A buzzer-beating De’Aaron Fox midrange jumper tied the game at 94 going into the fourth quarter.
San Antonio pulled away from there.
Because no Warriors will be participating in any of the All-Star weekend activities, the players will have until Feb. 19 to rest.
Guarding Wembanyama
Shutting down All-Star Wembanyama was – as it is on most teams’ scouting reports – the top priority for Golden State. He had scored 31 and 26 points in the November baseball-style series against the Warriors in San Antonio.
But in those high-scoring games, Draymond Green made his life difficult, and Wednesday was no exception even if Wembanyama eventually found a way to get free.
Draymond Green began the night on Wembanyama, being eight inches shorter but making up for that by using his lower center of gravity to deny the Spurs superstar favorable position.
Kerr did his best to mirror Green’s minutes with Wembanyama’s throughout the night. When the Spurs took him out and put Luke Kornet in, the Warriors then subbed in either Quinten Post or Al Horford.
Nobody is going to stop Wembanyama, of course, but Green certainly made things more difficult than the Lakers did the night before, when Wembanyama put in 40 easy points in 26 effortless minutes.
Most of Wembanyama’s first-half buckets came on tough jumpers, and it was actually one of his non-Green possessions that drew the loudest cheers from the Chase Center crowd. Late in the second quarter, 6-foot-1 Pat Spencer forced the 7-5 Wembanyama into a tough jumper that clanked off the rim.
Golden State Warriors’ Gary Payton II (0) commits an offensive foul San Antonio Spurs’ Julian Champagnie (30) in the second quarter at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
Golden State Warriors’ Pat Spencer (61) heads to the basket against San Antonio Spurs’ Stephon Castle (5) in the first quarter at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr reacts to a foul against the San Antonio Spurs in the fourth quarter at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
Golden State Warriors’ Draymond Green (23) reacts to a foul against him during their game against the San Antonio Spurs in the fourth quarter at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
Golden State Warriors’ Draymond Green (23) defends against San Antonio Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama (1) in the third quarter at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
Golden State Warriors’ Gui Santos (15) fights for a rebound against San Antonio Spurs’ De’Aaron Fox (4) in the third quarter at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
San Antonio Spurs’ Carter Bryant (11) tries to save a ball from going out-of-bounds against the Golden State Warriors in the second quarter at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026. He was unsuccessful. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
Golden State Warriors’ Gary Payton II (0) heads to the basket against San Antonio Spurs’ Luke Kornet (7) in the second quarter at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
Golden State Warriors’ Draymond Green (23) celebrates his basket and foul against San Antonio Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama (1) in the third quarter at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry (30) chats with San Antonio Spurs’ Dylan Harper (2) after the Spurs 126-113 win at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
Golden State Warriors’ Draymond Green (23) leaves the court following their 126-113 loss to the San Antonio Spurs at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
Show Caption
1 of 11
Golden State Warriors’ Gary Payton II (0) commits an offensive foul San Antonio Spurs’ Julian Champagnie (30) in the second quarter at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
Gary Payton II bobblehead day
Payton has guarded elite scorers, been the sparkplug for a championship squad, and long been one of coach Steve Kerr’s favorite players.
The Warriors celebrated his contributions over his six seasons with Golden State, honoring him Wednesday with a bobblehead giveaway.
In addition to scoring 10 points and passing out five assists in 14 minutes, Payton received a standing ovation after hawking down Devin Vassel on the fastbreak late in the first half and pulling off the spectacular chasedown block.