On Thursday, the San Antonio Spurs secured their eleventh straight win, defeating the Brooklyn Nets 126-110. This victory ensured the Spurs concluded February without a single loss, ahead of their upcoming Sunday fixture. The team’s most recent setback occurred on January 31st, an away game against the Charlotte Hornets where they fell 111-106.
This impressive run of eleven victories ranks as the third-longest winning streak recorded in the NBA throughout the current season, surpassed only by the Oklahoma City Thunder’s sixteen consecutive triumphs and the Detroit Pistons’ thirteen straight wins.
Given the Oklahoma City Thunder’s recent defeat against the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday, the Spurs now trail OKC by merely 1.5 games in the race for the top seed within the Western Conference. These two teams will not encounter each other again during the rest of the regular season schedule. San Antonio still has 23 contests remaining, while Oklahoma City has 22.
Julian Champagnie emerged as the top scorer for the Spurs, contributing 26 points, which included an efficient 6-for-9 performance from beyond the arc, alongside 3 steals and 2 blocks. Stephon Castle added 18 points, converting 10 of his 12 free-throw attempts. Devin Vassell registered 14 points, sinking 4 of his 7 three-point shots, complemented by 7 rebounds and 5 assists. Victor Wembanyama’s stat line featured 12 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals, and 2 blocks, contributing to San Antonio’s improved record of 43 wins and 16 losses.
Champagnie expressed profound significance in his return to New York, the place of his collegiate basketball career at St. John’s and his childhood on Staten Island, especially achieving an outstanding performance before his local supporters. He shared with the Spurs’ television broadcast crew that he purchased 17 tickets to accommodate his relatives and companions.
The San Antonio squad quickly established a substantial 36-22 advantage during the initial quarter, largely propelled by 13 points from Castle. Brooklyn initiated the third quarter with a rapid 13-4 scoring burst, narrowing their deficit to 75-69 with 8 minutes and 34 seconds left in the period. Nevertheless, the Spurs concluded the quarter emphatically, outperforming the Nets 29-15.
Following the contest, Spurs coach Mitch Johnson remarked, as reported by the San Antonio Express-News, that “It feels like the players are finding different ways to win.” He further added, “That’s a sign of growth.”
For Brooklyn, Michael Porter Jr. spearheaded their efforts with 25 points and 14 rebounds, complemented by Danny Wolf and Day’Ron Sharpe, who each provided 14 points as reserves. This defeat pushed the Nets’ standing to 15-43, positioning them with the second-lowest record in the Eastern Conference and the third-lowest across the entire NBA.
This flawless 11-0 performance throughout February marked only the third instance of an undefeated month in the Spurs’ franchise history, the first such occurrence since a dominant 16-0 March campaign in the 2013-14 season.
The Spurs are scheduled to confront the Knicks next at Madison Square Garden in a nationally broadcast Sunday afternoon matchup slated for 1 p.m. ET. By the time that game concludes, their position could be within a single game of the Thunder, who are set to host the Denver Nuggets on Friday.
