San Antonio Spurs Defeat Brooklyn Nets To Extend Winning Streak To 11 Games

The San Antonio Spurs rolled into Brooklyn on Thursday night and did what they’ve been doing to everybody lately — won. Convincingly. The final score was 126-110, and it wasn’t even that close for most of the night.

San Antonio is now 43-16 and riding an 11-game winning streak, their longest since the 2015-16 season. That’s not a typo. The Spurs have gone from rebuilding laughingstock to the hottest team in the NBA faster than you can say “Victor Wembanyama.”

Meanwhile, Brooklyn dropped to 15-43 and has now lost six in a row. The Nets aren’t exactly hiding what they’re doing here — they’re tanking, and Thursday night was another step in that direction.

Spurs Came Out Swinging From the Opening Tip

It took San Antonio all of 13 seconds to set the tone. Wemby won the opening tip, found Stephon Castle cutting to the basket, and he threw down a two-handed dunk that basically told everyone in Barclays Center how the night was going to go.

By the end of the first quarter, Castle had 13 points, and the Spurs led 36-22. That’s not a slow start for Brooklyn — that’s a disaster. San Antonio stretched it to 48-26 early in the second quarter, and the Nets never seriously threatened after that.

The Spurs led 71-56 at halftime, pushed it to a 26-point lead at one point in the third, and cruised home. The Nets made a brief 13-4 run to cut the deficit to six in the third quarter, but the Spurs quickly reminded everyone that this wasn’t going to be that kind of night.

Julian Champagnie Was the Star, But San Antonio Had Everyone Going

Julian Champagnie led all scorers with 26 points. He was sharp, efficient, and exactly the kind of secondary contributor that makes this Spurs team so difficult to game-plan against. Castle added 18. De’Aaron Fox and Devin Vassell each had 14. Keldon Johnson chipped in 13. Dylan Harper put up 12.

Seven Spurs in double figures before the end of the third quarter. That’s not a basketball team right now — that’s a problem for everyone else in the Western Conference. And then there’s Wembanyama.

The 7-foot-4 alien from France had a quiet night offensively — just 12 points on 3-of-9 shooting — but he still finished with 8 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals, and 2 blocks. Brooklyn actually did a reasonable job of contesting him on offense. Nic Claxton, Day’Ron Sharpe, and the rest of the Nets’ front line deserve credit for that.

Brooklyn Found Some Bright Spots In a Rough Night

The Nets lost by 16 points to the best team in basketball. There’s not a ton to celebrate. But a few guys gave Nets fans something to feel okay about. Michael Porter Jr. led Brooklyn with 25 points and 14 rebounds. He’s been the most consistent player on this roster all season, and Thursday was no different. He’s doing his job.

Sharpe continued his strong run off the bench, putting up 14 points and 11 rebounds in just 19 minutes. The big man from North Carolina is in his fifth season and is finally putting it all together. He could be a real building block for whatever Brooklyn is building toward.

The more interesting storyline, though, was Egor Demin. The 2025 lottery pick dished out a career-high 9 assists Thursday night. He only scored 6 points, but his playmaking was the real show. If that part of his game develops alongside his three-point shooting, Nets fans are going to like what they see.

The Bigger Picture For Both Teams

For the Spurs, this is genuinely one of the best stories in the NBA. Two years ago, San Antonio was the worst team in the Western Conference. They were drafting first overall, losing in spectacular fashion, and waiting for Wembanyama to save them. Now they’re 43-16, on an 11-game heater, and looking like a legitimate title contender. Spurs Head Coach Mitch Johnson deserves enormous credit for managing a roster full of young players.

For Brooklyn, it’s about the lottery. The Nets sit third in the lottery standings, three games behind Sacramento and a game behind Indiana. Every loss ticks the odds just a little more in their favor. Head Coach Jordi Fernández said it himself after the game: “The record is what it is — we’re well aware of it and we don’t like it. But the players show up and work every day.”