By ASSOCIATED PRESS
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, Nov. 14, 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, including a pair of free throws with 6 seconds 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.
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 had 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.
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.
Meanwhile in New Orleans, Austin Reaves scored 31, Luka Doncic had 24 points and 12 assists, and the Los Angeles Lakers cruised to a 118-104 victory over the Pelicans in an NBA Cup game.
Deandre Ayton made 10 of 11 shots and finished with 20 points, 16 rebounds, two steals and a block for the Lakers, who improved to 2-0 in cup play to remain atop West Group B.
Trey Murphy III scored 35 for the Pelicans, who lost their fourth straight game, fell to 0-2 in the in-season tournament, and to a Western Conference-worst 2-10 overall.
Rui Hachimura scored 14 and Marcus Smart 13 for the Lakers, who led 65-52 at halftime after Doncic fed Ayton for an alley-oop dunk.
Doncic, Ayton and Reaves all scored during an 11-0 third quarter run that pushed Los Angeles’ lead to 88-66, a surged capped by Reaves’ 16-foot driving floater as he was fouled by Jose Alvarado.
The Pelicans briefly trimmed the Lakers’ lead to eight when Alvarado and Saddiq Bey hit back-to-back 3s to make it 96-88 with more than eight minutes left.
Doncic hit a 12-foot fade and Reaves, who was 11 of 13 on free throws, hit five late foul shots — along with a 13-foot pullup — to help Los Angeles keep New Orleans at bay.
Earlier in Detroit, Javonte Green scored 21 points and Daniss Jenkins added 19 as the short-handed Pistons won their ninth straight game, beating the Philadelphia 76ers, 114-105, in an NBA Cup game on Friday night, Nov. 14.
The Pistons are on their longest winning streak since a 10-game run in 2008 despite playing the last two games without several key players. Cade Cunningham (hip), Tobias Harris (ankle), Ausar Thompson (ankle) and Jalen Duren (ankle) were among the players on the sidelines against Philadelphia.
Duncan Robinson scored 15 and Isaiah Stewart and Caris LeVert each had 14.
Tyrese Maxey had 31 to lead the Sixers, who played without Joel Embiid (knee).
