Spurs Vs Nets: Spurs win 11th straight, finish February undefeated
The San Antonio Spurs closed February undefeated after a 126-110 victory over the Brooklyn Nets, a result that completed an 11-game winning streak in the spurs vs nets matchup. The result moved San Antonio closer to the top of the Western Conference race and followed a recent stretch in which the Spurs' last loss came on Jan. 31.
Spurs Vs Nets game recap
San Antonio beat Brooklyn 126-110 on Thursday, improving to 43-16. The Spurs ran out to a 36-22 lead in the first quarter, paced by 13 first-quarter points from Stephon Castle. Brooklyn opened the third quarter with a 13-4 run that cut its deficit to 75-69 with 8: 34 remaining in the frame, but San Antonio closed out that quarter by outscoring the Nets 29-15.
Key performances and stats
Julian Champagnie led the Spurs with 26 points, shooting 6-of-9 on 3-pointers, and added 3 steals and 2 blocks. Stephon Castle finished with 18 points and made 10-of-12 free throws. Devin Vassell scored 14 points, hitting 4-of-7 3s, and collected 7 rebounds and 5 assists. Victor Wembanyama finished with 12 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals and 2 blocks. For Brooklyn, Michael Porter Jr. had 25 points and 14 rebounds, while Danny Wolf and Day'Ron Sharpe each contributed 14 points off the bench.
Streaks, standings and remaining games
The Spurs' 11-game winning streak is the third longest in the NBA this season, behind the Oklahoma City Thunder's 16 straight wins and the Detroit Pistons' 13 consecutive victories. San Antonio's last defeat was a 111-106 loss to the Charlotte Hornets on Jan. 31. Coupled with the Thunder's loss to the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday, the Spurs are now 1. 5 games back of Oklahoma City for the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference. San Antonio has 23 games left; Oklahoma City has 22. The two teams do not meet again for the remainder of the regular season.
Quotes and reactions from players
Julian Champagnie said "it means everything" to return to New York, where he played college basketball at St. John's and grew up on Staten Island, and to have a great game in front of hometown fans; he told the Spurs TV broadcast team that he had to buy 17 tickets for family and friends. Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said after the game, "It feels like the players are finding different ways to win, " a remark he offered as a sign of growth.
Team marks, history and next steps
With the loss, the Nets dropped to 15-43, the second-worst record in the East and third-worst in the NBA. The 11-0 February was the third undefeated month in Spurs history and the first since a 16-0 March during the 2013-14 season. The Spurs are scheduled to face the Knicks at Madison Square Garden for a nationally televised Sunday matinee at 1 p. m ET; by then San Antonio could be within a game of the Thunder, who host the Denver Nuggets on Friday.
Odds, lines and related betting notes
Separately in recent betting coverage, a model preview noted matchups around Thursday, February 26 and Friday, February 27. That coverage listed "Spurs vs. Nets odds, line: Proven model reveals picks for NBA matchup on Thursday, February 26. " Other listed model items included "Cavaliers vs. Pistons odds, line: Proven model reveals picks for NBA matchup on Friday, February 27, " and lines for "Rockets vs. Magic" on Thursday, February 26, as well as a Thursday, February 26 note that a 3-way parlay pays over +600.
A separate betting note about a different game said the Los Angeles Lakers "can't beat the good teams, but they feast on the bad teams" and characterized the Phoenix Suns as having a winning record but being "bad" in their current state, with the Suns having "lost six of their last eight" and having "failed to cover seven times in their last eight games. " The same coverage said the Lakers "have lost four of their last six, but those were all to good teams on a home stand, " and that the Lakers "owe the Suns some payback after losing to them 132-108, without Luke Doncic, on December 23rd. " That account added, "Who knows who's going to play for the Suns tonight, but it's a good bet it's not going to be Devin Booker. Lakers to cover. "
The Spurs' victory over Brooklyn in the spurs vs nets matchup and the surrounding streak now place San Antonio in position to challenge for the top seed as the regular season continues.
