There was, technically and by official definition, a regular season game between two NBA teams inside the Chase Center on Wednesday night.
But it was not a fair fight. Not even close.
There are few opponents on the same level as Spurs and Victor Wembanyama these days, and a heavily damaged and battered Warriors side that took home the stadium was far from being among them.
Wembanyama continued to make his MVP case with 41 points and 18 rebounds as the Warriors fell behind 10-0 and nearly came up short in a 127-113 loss to the hottest team in the NBA.
After missing his 26th game in a row, Steph Curry led the long list of inactives as Steve Kerr’s turnover. Of the nine players in uniform, seven scored in double figures, led by Nate Williams with 18 in an impressive 47-minute effort. But whoever wasn’t playing was just as important as anyone who was.
What does it mean
The loss was the Warriors’ second in a row after a short three-game winning streak against lesser opponents, but individual game results don’t mean much for a team that is heavily locked into the No. 10 seed, or at least the play-in matchup.
There was more to the pregame warmups: Curry went through his usual routine, and is reportedly eyeing Sunday to return after a two-month absence.
A place to change
There may be no version of these Warriors that can contain Wembanyama and Spurs – few have gone 26-2 – but the deck was stacked when the injury report dropped.
In addition to the seven rotation players already ruled out, Gui Santos (pelvis) and Gary Payton II (knee) were demoted from questionable to out prior to the announcement.
Without Kristaps Porzingis, Al Horford or Quinten Post, the Warriors are left with Omer Yurtseven – playing on his second 10-day contract – and two-point forward Malevy Leons as their only resistance without the 6-foot-5 Green playing Wembanyama.
Wembanyama had six points before the Warriors had 14 and the Spurs went on a 25-9 run with six minutes to go. It took him two minutes into the second quarter to score a double. At halftime, he was 27 and 13, and San Antonio led 70-49.
MVP: Victor Wembanyama
There seemed to be nothing (counted) the 7-foot-4 phenom couldn’t handle against the useless Warriors. He wasn’t just the most important player on the field; he looked like the MVP of the entire league.
Game condition: 2
Brandin Podziemski looked well on his way to a big night — maybe even his first 30-point effort — after the first quarter. He was 3-for-5 from the field, 2-for-3 from 3 and 4-for-4 from the line for 12 of the Warriors’ 26 points in the first period.
But Podziemski scored just two points the rest of the night as Kerr limited him to 17 minutes. Williams has earned the most minutes the Warriors have managed since Harrison Barnes in 2014.
Next
The Warriors should be something close to full strength when they host the Cavaliers on Thursday in the second half of a back-to-back at the Chase Center. Golden State chose that matchup over Wembanyama over Porzingis, and there is hope that De’Anthony Melton, Payton and Santos will be ready to play an extra day.
If Curry continues to develop as expected, it could be the last time he plays 27 games.
