Steph torches Spurs with season-high 49, Warriors win NBA Cup thriller

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Stephen Curry had 49 points, outdueling Victor Wembanyama in another intense battle and the Golden State Warriors rallied to beat the San Antonio Spurs 109-108 on Friday night for their first win in the NBA Cup.

Wembanyama had 26 points, 12 rebounds, four assists and three blocks in 38 minutes but San Antonio fell to 1-1 in the NBA Cup.

Curry had 31 points in the second half, including a pair of free throws with 6 seconds left that proved the difference. He was 16 for 26 from the field and 9 for 17 on 3-pointers in his highest-scoring game of the season.

Wembanyama used his 8-foot wingspan to implore the Jackals, the fan group he created, and the sellout crowd to raise the volume in the Frost Bank Center as Curry prepared to take his first free throw with the Spurs leading 108-107.

Curry welcomed the jeering.

“Absolutely,” Curry said. “It just keeps you engaged. I’m aware of everything, so it's pretty fun. I like the free throws at the end of the game. You've got to find something to take the nerves out and for me, that’s just embracing the moment, smiling and having a good time. When he started that, especially with their fan, whatever you call them, fanatics, they got up there in the stands right behind the basket. I kind of wanted to acknowledge it, not that it surprised me, so I played into it. Thankfully, I made them."

One day after announcing an end to his 13-year business partnership with Under Armour, Curry continued to trample his opponents under foot.

Curry donned a pair of Kobe Bryant's “Mambacita” Nike Kobe 6 shoes during warmups before changing into his own Curry Brand for the second of a two-game set in San Antonio.

“I thought about Kobe a lot and that specific pair, I think it speaks for itself what it means,” Curry said of the shoes that honor the late Kobe and his daughter Gigi Bryant. "Other than that, just something I wanted to take advantage of in that moment and pay tribute. I think it gave me some good energy.”

The Warriors swept the two-game set in San Antonio, rallying in the fourth quarter to win both games.

Golden State coach Steve Kerr said playing back-to-back games in San Antonio gave the game a playoff feel and it played out like one.

Officials had to separate Draymond Green and Wembanyama three times as they muscled for position on an inbounds play four minutes in the fourth quarter. Wembanyama would dunk on Green on an inbounds alley-oop but officials waved off the basket because Green fouled the Spurs' center prior to the attempt. Green collected his fifth foul seconds later on the next inbounds, storming off the court and screaming at officials over the whistle.

Wembanyama blocked Jimmy Butler's layup attempt with 33 seconds remaining and the Spurs leading 108-107. San Antonio failed to capitalize offensively as De'Aaron Fox missed a 17 footer with 12 seconds remaining.

Curry was fouled by Fox on the ensuing possession and calmly drained both free throws to put the Warriors ahead by one point. Fox missed an 18-foot jumper as time expired.

Curry tied Michael Jordan's record for the most games with 40-plus points after turning 30 years old at 44.

Curry had 46 points in leading Golden State to a 125-120 victory over San Antonio on Wednesday.

“That’s pretty cool," Curry said of the record. "Just from an individual acknowledgement, perspective, just to be able to be in that type of company. Longevity is something I pride myself on, so that was pretty cool.”

Fox finished with 24 points and 10 assists and Julian Champagnie added 14 points.

Butler added 21 points and Brandin Podziemski and Will Richard added 10 each for Golden State.

Up next

Warriors play Sunday at New Orleans.

Spurs host Sacramento on Sunday.

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