Spurs defense smothers Stephen Curry-less Warriors early and often in NBA Cup win

San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Spurs defense smothers Stephen Curry-less Warriors early and often in NBA Cup win

By Sean Keane | Last updated Nov 14, 2026 12:39 AM ET

When a Golden State Warriors team missing Steph Curry faced a San Antonio Spurs team with the Defensive Player of the Year Friday, the result was ugly for the shorthanded Warriors.

Golden State didn't score for the first six minutes of the game, and the Spurs took a 26-point lead in the first quarter on their way to a 123-85 win in the NBA Cup.

San Antonio Spurs defense was terrible matchup for Golden State Warriors

It's hard enough to make baskets against the Spurs, led by Defensive Player of the Year Victor Wembanyama, who had 12 points, two blocks and 12 rebounds in just 21 minutes. It was almost impossible with Curry out with an oblique abdominal tear.

The Warriors missed their first 11 shots from the field while the Spurs scored the first five times they had the ball. San Antonio was up 18-0 before Gui Santos finally scored on a layup, not coincidentally on the first Warriors possession after Wembanyama sat.

Not only are the Warriors playing without Curry, but they're missing his backup at point guard, Brandon Williams. Earlier this season, rookie Yaxel Lendeborg emerged as a secondary offensive option, but he was 1-of-13 in Friday's loss. Before the game, he suggested he'd try to bait Wembanyama into helping on the perimeter and play physical with the big man — a strategy that did not succeed.

WEMBY REVERSE SLAM TO CAP OFF AN 18-0 RUN FOR THE SPURS

SAN ANTONIO IS SIZZLING ON PRIME! pic.twitter.com/IGPj5J8SDM
— NBA (@NBA) November 14, 2026

San Antonio Spurs continue dominance with 11th straight win

After losing their first two games of the season, the Spurs have been on a tear for the last three weeks. Friday was the Spurs' 11th straight win, and the fifth straight game they've exceeded 120 points. They're doing this without offseason signing Tobias Harris playing a single game, getting balanced scoring with six Spurs averaging double figures in scoring.

Against a much smaller team, the Spurs had 56 points in the paint to the Warriors' 28, and they dominated in transition, scoring 21 fast-break points to Golden State's three. The Warriors won both games in San Antonio last season to the Western Conference champions, but these Spurs are a year older, stronger and wiser. Meanwhile, the Warriors have lost two games since Curry's injury after their own eight-game win streak.

It's not a disaster for the Warriors, who did play the 10-3 Houston Rockets close on Wednesday. But without Curry, the team has trouble putting up points against good defenses. Against one led by Wembanyama, they hardly put up any points at all.

Sean Keane

Sean Keane is a sportswriter and a comedian based in Oakland, California, with experience covering the NBA, MLB, NFL and Ice Cube’s three-on-three basketball league, The Big 3. He’s written for Comedy Central’s “Another Period,” ESPN the Magazine, and Audible.com. His debut album “America’s Uncle Dad” debuted at No. 1 on the iTunes comedy chart and since 2016, he’s co-hosted the NBA podcast “Roundball Rock. In 2014, the San Francisco Bay Guardian named Keane an “Outstanding Local Discovery” and promptly went out of business.

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