The Spurs hit 18 3-pointers and wrapped their annual rodeo road trip with a 5-1 record. They had won 11 straight games overall before they lost Sunday to the New York Knicks.

No worries in Philly about a losing streak. San Antonio never trailed and led by 49 points at the end of the third quarter.

Devin Vassell hit six 3-pointers and scored 22 points for the Spurs.

Tyrese Maxey scored 21 points for the Sixers. They scored only 11 points total in the third quarter.

The 76ers played again without Joel Embiid as he sat out the second of a scheduled three straight games with a strained right oblique. The 76ers were also without the suspended Paul George and Kelly Oubre Jr. (illness), which left them undermanned and greatly overwhelmed from tip against the superior Spurs.

The Sixers lost VJ Edgecombe after he had a hard landing on his back on a 3-point attempt in the first half.

The Spurs put on a show in front of Bob Costas, Doug Collins and more familiar broadcasters as part of a throwback night for NBC’s NBA coverage.

The 76ers would like to throw this one back.

Carter Bryant buried a 3 for 60-36 lead in the first half and the Sixers were booed off the court headed into a timeout. Harper scored 14 points in the half to take a 78-53 lead — all done without forward Harrison Barnes, who had his 364 consecutive games played streak end when he woke up from a nap with a sore ankle.

The San Antonio Spurs center wrote Monday that allowing the March 16 event during the Hawks’ game against the Orlando Magic “would reflect poorly on us as an NBA community, specifically in being complicit in the potential objectification and mistreatment of women in our society.”

“Regardless of how a woman finds her way into the adult entertainment industry, many in this space experience abuse, harassment, and violence to which they should never be subjected,” Kornet added in a blog post.

The Hawks announced the promotion last week, saying it would include a live performance by Atlanta native T.I., and have two versions of Magic City’s famed chicken wings and a special hoodie available for purchase.

But Kornet noted that the press release “failed to acknowledge that this place is, as the business itself boasts, ‘Atlanta’s premier strip club.’” Therefore, he asked the Hawks to cancel the promotion.

“We desire to provide an environment where fans of all ages can safely come and enjoy the game of basketball and where we can celebrate the history and culture of communities in good conscience,” Kornet wrote. “The celebration of a strip club is not conduct aligned with that vision.”

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After going unbeaten in February, the Spurs were shut down to open March, never recovering from the Knicks’ 26-2 run in the first half and losing for the first time since Jan. 31 in Charlotte.

Victor Wembanyama bounced back from two quiet offensive games with 25 points, 13 rebounds and four blocks, but a Spurs team that became the first in NBA history to go unbeaten and score at least 110 points in every game while playing at least 10 in a month fell flat after a fast start.

Mohamed Diawara had 14 points off the bench for the Knicks, who also beat the Spurs earlier this season to win the NBA Cup in Las Vegas.

Wembanyama had been limited to 12 points in each of the last two games. He was much sharper Sunday in his first game at Madison Square Garden since finishing with 42 points and 18 rebounds in a loss on Christmas 2024 in his first time playing on the holiday.

But the Spurs couldn’t overcome 22 turnovers that led to 24 points and were also outrebounded 54-41.

The Knicks beat the Spurs for the Cup title in December, when they started 23-9 and looked like a contender to play for the more important championship that gets decided in June. They had been only 15-13 since, starting with the Spurs’ 134-132 victory on New Year’s Eve.

But after missing 14 of their first 18 shots, they were the dominant team against one that had been the NBA’s hottest.

The Spurs led 19-7 after Stephon Castle’s 3-pointer with 4:05 remaining in the first quarter. But Brunson had 11 points in the final 1:52 to give the Knicks a 22-21 lead after one.

New York opened the second quarter with an 11-0 spurt, with Bridges’ basket making it 33-21. New York led by 26.

Up next

Spurs: Visit Philadelphia on Tuesday.

Knicks: Visit Toronto on Tuesday.

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Sunday morning programming on KSAT 12 has been adjusted to accommodate a 30-minute pregame show.

“First Baptist Church” will air this Sunday as a half-hour segment at 11 a.m. The full hour will be available on MeTV, channel 12.2.

See the schedule below:

KSAT 12:

• 11 a.m.: First Baptist Church (30 minutes)
• 11:30 a.m.: NBA Tipoff
• Noon: San Antonio Spurs vs New York Knicks

MeTV, channel 12.2:

• 11 a.m.: First Baptist Church (1 hour)

Click here to view program listings on KSAT.

Game Preview: San Antonio faces New York on 11-game win streak

The Spurs are 22-10 on the road and second in the Western Conference. San Antonio is scoring 118.5 points per game and is shooting 47.8%.

The Knicks are 22-8 in home games and third in the Eastern Conference. New York is averaging 27.1 assists per game, led by Jalen Brunson’s 6.1 average.

The 117.3 points per game the Knicks score are 5.6 more points than the Spurs give up (111.7). The Spurs score 7.0 more points per game (118.5) than the Knicks allow (111.5).

The two teams match up for the second time this season. The Spurs defeated the Knicks 134-132 in their last meeting on Jan. 1. Julian Champagnie led the Spurs with 36 points, and Brunson led the Knicks with 29 points.

TOP PERFORMERS: Brunson is averaging 26.7 points and 6.1 assists for the Knicks. Karl-Anthony Towns is averaging 18.3 points and 9.6 rebounds over the past 10 games.

Stephon Castle is shooting 46.7% and averaging 16.6 points for the Spurs. Devin Vassell is averaging 2.4 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Knicks: 6-4, averaging 114.2 points, 42.8 rebounds, 28.0 assists, 7.5 steals and 4.1 blocks per game while shooting 47.3% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 109.8 points per game.

Spurs: 10-0, averaging 126.1 points, 48.1 rebounds, 32.1 assists, 8.6 steals and 7.2 blocks per game while shooting 50.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 111.1 points.

INJURIES: Knicks: Miles McBride: out (ankle).

Spurs: David Jones Garcia: out for season (ankle), Mason Plumlee: day to day (reconditioning).

The Associated Press created part of this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

On Thursday, the Silver and Black took on the Brooklyn Nets and won 126-110.

Diego Bazan moved to San Antonio a few years ago and has been a Spurs fan since he moved to the 210. He said it’s a great time to be a Spurs fan.

“I love the energy, the environment, everything just feels a lot better and bigger,” he said. “We have a really good shot,” he added when championship talks began.

Nicole Bransteter, a San Antonio native, said almost everywhere you go, you will see Spurs gear. With the team on a strong winning streak, the excitement feels familiar, like it did in 2014, the year the Spurs won their last championship.

“Last time when we won, oh my gosh, we went downtown and like the whole block was just full of cars, Spurs flags, everything,” she said.

The Spurs will take on the New York Knicks on the road Sunday. Tipoff is set for noon, live on KSAT 12.

Read also:

• Where to watch Spurs vs Knicks, Sunday programming on KSAT 12

Victor Wembanyama had his second straight quiet night offensively, finishing with 12 points, but the surging Spurs had plenty of balance against the lottery-bound Nets. Stephon Castle scored 18 points, De’Aaron Fox and Devin Vassell had 14 apiece, Keldon Johnson scored 13 and Dylan Harper had 12.

San Antonio (43-16) is on its longest winning streak since it won 13 straight in the 2015-16 season.

Michael Porter Jr. had 24 points and 14 rebounds for the Nets, who have lost six straight. Reserve Day’Ron Sharpe had 14 points and 11 rebounds.

It took San Antonio all of 13 seconds to take a lead it would not relinquish. Wembanyama won the opening tip and dropped a pass to a cutting Castle for a spectacular two-handed dunk. By the end of the opening period, Castle had 13 points and the Spurs led 36-22.

San Antonio extended its lead to 48-26, on a 3 by Champagnie 2:20 into the second quarter. The Spurs led 71-56 at halftime.

Brooklyn used a 13-4 spurt in the first 3:26 of the third quarter to cut the deficit to six. But any comeback hopes Brooklyn harbored were dashed by the Spurs, who finished the quarter with a 104-84 lead.

Up next

Spurs: Cross the East River for a nationally televised matchup against the Knicks on Sunday.

Nets: At Boston on Friday night.

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Victor Wembanyama had 21 points, 17 rebounds and six blocks, Devin Vassell scored 28 and San Antonio beat Detroit 114-103 on Monday night.

“It’s definitely a night where we confirmed progression and confirmed potential as well,” Wembanyama said. “That was a good test.”

The Spurs passed it — even with their superstar struggling with his shot.

Wembanyama was 6 of 16 and his teammates more than made up for it with Vassell making seven 3-pointers and three other teammates scoring in double figures. The Spurs combined to make 18 of 40 shots beyond the arc.

“We know how talented Wemby is and how impactful he can be, but it’s not a one-man show over there,” Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. “They have a bunch of talented perimeter players.”

The Spurs have won a season-high nine games in a row and trail only the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference.

The Eastern Conference-leading Pistons, who had won five straight, host Oklahoma City on Wednesday night in another opportunity to find out how they measure up against the league’s best teams.

“No matter who the opponent is, our guys are looking forward to those challenges,” Bickerstaff said.

Cade Cunningham ended up missing 21 of 26 shots and finishing with 16 points and 10 assists with Stephon Castle guarding him most of the game.

“I don’t know what the playoffs are like, but I know we’re going to need some of that,” said Wembanyama, who is in his third season with a franchise that hasn’t been in the postseason since 2019.

Detroit, meanwhile, is trying to take the next step this season by advancing in the playoffs for the first time since 2008.

The Pistons had one of the most remarkable turnarounds in league history last season and ended a 15-game losing streak in the playoffs in the first round against the New York Knicks, but they were eliminated.

Against the Spurs, tempers flared in the first half.

Cunningham was called for an offensive foul after extending his arms and knocking Castle down on the court. Spurs forward Keldon Johnson responded by pushing Cunningham and Pistons center Jalen Duren, who was recently suspended by the league, pointed his right finger in Johnson’s face.

“That sparked a lot of energy on our team because we’re not going to back down,” Castle said.

After a review, Johnson and Duren were called for technical fouls in the second quarter of the closely contested game.

The NBA suspended center Isaiah Stewart for seven games earlier this month after he left the bench during a fight in Detroit’s game at Charlotte, and he was still serving the suspension during San Antonio’s visit. Duren was forced to sit for two games for initiating the altercation.

Wembanyama said Detroit plays “bully ball,” and added that he was glad to experience its physical style.

“This is probably the team that is most capable of playing that ball,” he said.

The Spurs, it turns out, can handle themselves just fine against teams like the Pistons.

“They are going to test your toughness,” Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said. ”Detroit just toes the line. I don’t think they cross it.”

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Wembanyama scored 12 points on 3-of-12 shooting. He went 1 for 6 from 3-point range and 5 for 6 at the free-throw line, where his lone miss came with 8.7 seconds left in regulation and his team ahead by three.

Toronto’s Brandon Ingram missed a 3 that would have tied the game, and Wembanyama grabbed the rebound.

Wembanyama finished with eight boards and three assists in 30 minutes. He also had five blocks, including a pivotal one on Jakob Poeltl with 44 seconds left.

Dylan Harper scored 15 points, Stephon Castle had 13 and Julian Champagnie 10 as the Spurs won their fifth straight meeting with the Raptors.

Ingram had 20 points and a season-high 11 rebounds, Immanuel Quickley scored 20 points and Scottie Barnes added 15 as the Raptors lost their third straight at home.

Poeltl, who sat out Tuesday’s loss to Oklahoma City because of a sore lower back, came off the bench against the Spurs.

Rookie Collin Murray-Boyles got the start against Wembanyama, but exited in the third because of a sore left thumb.

Wembanyama missed all four of his field-goal attempts in the first half, but there was no missing when Champagnie fed him for an alley-oop dunk 38 seconds into the third quarter.

The teams were tied at 69-all midway through the third but Toronto closed the quarter with a 21-9 spurt.

San Antonio reclaimed the lead, 93-92, on Luke Kornet’s dunk with 7:26 remaining as the Raptors missed eight straight shots to begin the fourth.

Up next

Spurs: At Brooklyn on Thursday.

Raptors: At Washington on Saturday.

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Sacramento lost a franchise record 16th straight game, the last two after center Domantas Sabonis and guard Zach LaVine had season-ending surgery.

De’Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle and Keldon Johnson each scored 18 for the Spurs, while Wembanyama added six assists and four blocks.

Keegan Murray and DeMar DeRozan led Sacramento with 20 points apiece. Malik Monk scored 19 while Maxime Raynaud — a rookie from Stanford and a friend of Wembanyama from France — had 16 points and 12 rebounds.

San Antonio, playing in a city the organization considers part of a megaregion that they’ve cultivated for several years, scored the first 11 points of the game, setting an aggressive tone that included three blocks by Wembanyama in the first 90 seconds.

Undermanned Sacramento hustled its way back into the game and trailed by just one with less than five minutes remaining in the third quarter.

The Kings’ determination resulted in seven offensive rebounds by Raynaud. Several times he tapped the ball back to teammates for open shots.

But that was not enough against Wembanyama, who made a 3-point basket and assisted on one by Harrison Barnes, both in the final minute of the third quarter, to give the Spurs a 105-94 lead heading to the fourth.

Fox and Wembanyama scored inside to start the fourth quarter, completing a 12-0 run as San Antonio eventually pushed the lead to 28.

Up next

Sacramento: Visits Memphis on Monday night.

San Antonio: Visits Detroit on Monday night.

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San Antontio also will face Sacramento on Saturday in Austin, a city the Spurs covet as part of a mega-region that they’ve cultivated for years.

Castle converted 8 of 11 shots from the field and had four assists and three steals in 21 minutes. Wembanyama had 11 rebounds and five blocks while playing 25 minutes. De’Aaron Fox added 15 points and eight assists in 22 minutes.

The Spurs received big contributions from backups Dylan Harper (17 points) and Luke Kornet (10 points, nine rebounds).

Jalen Green, playing in just his eighth game of an injury-plagued season, led Phoenix with 26 points. Mark Williams had 11 points and 10 rebounds.

Suns star Devin Booker played only nine minutes, all early in the game, before leaving with right hip soreness.

Phoenix also was without Dillon Brooks, who served a one-game suspension for receiving his 16th technical foul this season. Suns guard Grayson Allen missed the game with an ankle injury.

The Spurs led 61-49 at halftime, thanks largely to a 13-0 start to the second quarter. Julian Champagnie hit a pair of 3-pointers during that stretch, and Harrison Barnes made a three-point play with a layup and free throw.

San Antonio forged ahead by 22 with a consecutive 3-pointers by Castle, Wembanyama and Devin Vassell in the first four minutes of the second half.

Up next

Phoenix: Host Orlando on Saturday.

San Antonio: Host Sacramento in Austin on Saturday.

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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA