The Warriors were defeated by the Spurs as Draymond Green was playing at Wembanyama

admin February 12, 2026

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The Warriors were defeated by the Spurs as Draymond Green was playing at Wembanyama

SAN FRANCISCO – With the All-Star break just hours away, it would have been understandable if the Warriors’ effort wasn’t there Wednesday night against San Antonio.

But playing against one of the top teams in the West, the Steph Curry-less Warriors lost 126-113 to the Spurs in a very close game.

Draymond Green watched a double-double 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 were plenty of fouls and uncalled fouls as the two battled for position.

De’Anthony Melton had 17 points and Moses Moody had 17 points. De’Aaron Fox had 27 points and eight assists for the Spurs, while Keldon Johnson poured in 21 and No. 2 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.

Despite Steph Curry sitting out his fifth straight game with a runner’s knee, Golden State’s offense still found a way to zip up the Chase Center floor against a San Antonio outfit playing the second leg of a back-to-back, at least early.

The Warriors had 12 assists for 14 baskets made in the first quarter, and led 38-31 after 12 minutes. Maintaining that lead in the second quarter was more difficult, as the Spurs earned the Warriors a foul bonus just three minutes in. A strong performance from Gary Payton II helped the Warriors to a 67-63 lead at halftime despite foul trouble.

Golden State led by as many as 16 in the third before a 24-8 Spurs run, led by Keldon Johnson and the bench, pulled San Antonio within striking distance. At the end of the third, De’Aaron Fox’s pass over the middle had tied the game at 94 going into the fourth quarter.

San Antonio took off from there.

Because none of the Warriors will be participating in any All-Star weekend activities, players will have a rest until February 19.

The Black Guard

Shutting down All-Star Wembanyama was a top priority for the Warriors — as were most teams’ scouting reports. He had 31 points and 26 points in November’s baseball-style series in San Antonio against Golden State.

But in those games with high scores, Draymond Green made his life difficult, and on Wednesday nothing happened even if Wembanyama finally found a way to be free.

Draymond Green started the night at Wembanyama, eight inches shorter but made up for it by using his low gravity to deny the Spurs star.

Kerr did his best to mimic Green and Wembanyama’s minutes throughout the night. When the Spurs replaced him with Luke Kornet, the Warriors went with Quinten Post or Al Horford.

No one is going to stop Wembanyama, of course, but Green made things more difficult than the Lakers did the night before, when Wembanyama put up an easy 40 points in 26 grueling minutes.

Most of Wembanyama’s buckets in the first half came off strong jumpers, and it was actually one of his off-the-blue possessions that drew the Chase Center crowd. Late in the second quarter, 6-foot-1-1 Pat Spencer forced the 7-5 Black into a tight jumper that connected the rim.

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Golden State Warriors’ Gary Payton II (0) fouls San Antonio Spurs’ Julian Champagnie (30) during the second quarter at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)

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Gary Payton II bobblehead day

Gary Payton guards elite scorers, has been a spark on a championship squad, and has long been one of coach Steve Kerr’s favorite players.

Now, after Wednesday night, one can add “Bobblehead night in his honor” to Payton II’s resume.

In addition to scoring 10 points and dishing out five assists in 14 minutes, Payton earned a standing ovation after robbing Devin Vassel on a fastbreak late in the first half and pulling off a chasedown block.