SAN FRANCISCO – – Jonathan Kuminga attacked the rim and tried to bring the Golden State Warriors back into the game. They just couldn’t make enough saves in time.
Keldon Johnson and the San Antonio Spurs had some big moments.
Johnson had 22 points and 11 rebounds, and San Antonio beat a Golden State team playing without Stephen Curry 126-113 on Saturday night.
Jeremy Sochan and Malaki Branham each scored 20 points for San Antonio, which had lost seven of nine. Julian Champagnie collected 17 points and seven rebounds.
“It was very important to bring energy from the start, especially against a team, a crowd and an environment like Golden State and San Francisco,” Sochan said.
Klay Thompson came off the bench to score 27 points for Golden State, which has lost consecutive games for the first time since Jan. 25-27 against the Kings and Lakers — also at home at Chase Center.
Curry and Spurs rookie Victor Wembanyama have been out with right ankle injuries.
Kuminga scored the Warriors’ first nine points of fourth-and-11 from 13 – all attacking the basket – to finish with 26 for his fifth 20-point game in the last seven. But he didn’t have enough help as the Warriors fell way short of Curry’s 26.9 points per game.
Every time Golden State made a push late in the third, the Spurs seemed to have an answer on the offensive end — and they continued that momentum over the final 12 minutes. Trayce Jackson-Davis made a driving layup with 37 seconds left in the quarter, only for Champagnie to knock down a baseline 3-pointer moments later.
“In the second half we tried to do our best to get back into the game,” Kuminga said. “It was a little late.”
Champagnie made five 3s and Johnson hit four as the Spurs shot 17 for 33 from deep. They entered the game ranked 29th in the NBA in 3-point shooting at 34.8%.
San Antonio led by 18 midway through the second quarter while shooting 55.9%, then went into halftime up 62-43.
“It was hard. We just never had any traction in the game,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. “I didn’t feel like we had confidence or energy. I thought their pace and movements were bothering us and we had a few breakdowns. It just felt like we were never really in the game.”
Chris Paul started in Curry’s place and had 10 points and nine assists. It was his 12th start and first since Jan. 5 against Detroit when the Warriors used their 20th different starting lineup.
An MRI scan of Curry’s ankle revealed no structural damage. He is expected to be re-evaluated on Tuesday.
“I would say it’s a good result. The MRI was clear, he feels better today,” Kerr said. “So overall I would say it’s positive.”
The two-time MVP, who turns 36 on Thursday, was injured late in the fourth quarter during Thursday’s 125-122 loss to the Chicago Bulls.
The Warriors had their five-game winning streak against San Antonio snapped and they had also won three in a row in the home series.
Retired tennis star Roger Federer sat courtside with Warriors owner Joe Lacob a day after announcing the Laver Cup tennis event at Chase Center in September 2025.
This was Golden State’s first game without Curry or Thompson since Jan. 20, 2023, against the Clippers, according to Elias.
FOLLOWING
The teams play again Monday in San Antonio.
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