The Golden State Warriors will be without star guard Stephen Curry when they head to San Antonio in a quest to derail the red-hot Spurs on Friday in an NBA Cup West Group C clash.
Curry will be out for at least two weeks after suffering a right oblique tear in the Warriors’ 115-108 loss in Houston on Wednesday. Curry’s injury takes a little luster off the first meeting of the season between the teams that — until Golden State’s setback on Wednesday — were among the hottest teams in the conference.
Both the Spurs and Warriors are 1-0 in the NBA Cup’s group play. The teams are lumped in Group C with the Los Angeles Lakers, Portland Trail Blazers and Sacramento Kings.
The Spurs have captured a league-best 10 straight games as they return home briefly from a four-game road trip.
San Antonio extended its streak with a 124-119 come-from-behind victory over the Bulls in Chicago on Wednesday. Victor Wembanyama had 32 points and nine rebounds in the win to lead six teammates in double-figure scoring. The Spurs trailed by as many as 22 points in the first half and by 14 at halftime.
“They responded and played with the appropriate level of discipline, execution, physicality (and) competitiveness,” Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said. “And that’s what they’re capable of. We just obviously need to do that more consistently.”
Wembanyama said the comeback was helped by his team keeping an even keel and letting the game come to them.
“I think we react accordingly,” Wembanyama explained. “We try to not overreact. Sometimes you’ve got to get back to what we do and trust the game plan. Teams are always going to shoot below their average, or over it. Over time it will balance.”
Dylan Harper added 18 points and 10 assists for San Antonio in the victory, with De’Aaron Fox contributing 17 points (all in the first half) and nine assists. Julian Champagnie hit for 12 points, Stephon Castle scored 11 and Keldon Johnson and Carter Bryant tallied 10 points apiece off the bench.
The Spurs played their second straight game without injured forward Devin Vassell (adductor). He is questionable for Friday.
Golden State’s loss in Houston on Wednesday snapped an eight-game winning streak, which was its longest such streak since 2022. Rookie Yaxel Lendeborg produced a double-double (25 points, 10 rebounds) to lead the Warriors, with Brandin Podziemski adding 22 points. LJ Cryer and De’Anthony Melton had 13 and 11 points, respectively, off the Golden State bench.
“The group is really looking connected and really competitive,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said Wednesday. “The competitive spirit of this team is fantastic. I think we have to keep working on our offensive execution.”
Curry played just six minutes before departing with right abdominal soreness in the opening period. Warriors forward Draymond Green said after the loss that his team will respond with its leader on the shelf. Golden State went just 13-26 in the 39 games Curry missed in 2025-26 for various injuries.
“The spirit of this team is better (than last year’s),” Green said. “We’re more certain of who we are, what makes us a good team. I think that puts us in a better position to be successful without him as opposed to where we were last year.”
