Spurs 10th Straight Win As Victor Wembanyama Struggles Against Raptors

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Three leading NBA teams strengthened their positions as the San Antonio Spurs stretched their win streak to 10, the Detroit Pistons defeated a depleted Oklahoma City Thunder, and Nikola Jokic guided the Denver Nuggets past the Boston Celtics in a defence-driven victory in Denver.

Jokic led Denver with 30 points and 12 rebounds in a 103-84 home win over Boston, despite a below-par shooting night. The centre shot 11 of 28 from the field and 4 of 13 from long range but still controlled key stretches, especially late in the third quarter.

Denver played most of the game without Jamal Murray, who left after 7:51 because of an illness and did not return. Tim Hardaway Jr. contributed 14 points as the Nuggets responded to a 1-2 run after the All-Star break, which had included a loss at Golden State.

The win helped Denver keep close to Houston in the tight Western Conference race, with the Nuggets sitting percentage points behind the Rockets for third place. Jaylen Brown returned from a right knee contusion and produced 23 points, but Boston’s offence faded during the second half.

The Celtics had entered the night on a strong stretch, having won five straight games and nine of their last 10. They finished their Western Conference trip at 3-1, yet struggled with Denver’s defence and the thin air as the Nuggets closed the third quarter on an 11-0 run.

San Antonio’s 110-107 win over the Toronto Raptors gave the Spurs a season-best 10th straight victory, their longest run since a 13-game sequence in the 2015-16 season. Devin Vassell scored 21 points and DeAaron Fox added 20, as San Antonio also claimed a fifth consecutive win over Toronto.

Victor Wembanyama had a difficult shooting night but still influenced the result. Wembanyama scored 12 points on 3-of-12 shooting, going 1 for 6 from beyond the arc and 5 for 6 at the foul line. The only missed free throw came with 8.7 seconds left, when San Antonio led by three.

Toronto’s Brandon Ingram missed a potential tying 3-pointer in the closing seconds, and Wembanyama secured the rebound to seal the result. Wembanyama finished with eight rebounds, three assists and five blocks in 30 minutes, including a crucial late rejection on Jakob Poeltl with 44 seconds remaining.

Dylan Harper added 15 points for San Antonio, with Stephon Castle scoring 13 and Julian Champagnie contributing 10. For Toronto, Ingram recorded 20 points and a season-high 11 rebounds, Immanuel Quickley also scored 20, and Scottie Barnes added 15 as the Raptors slipped to a third straight home defeat.

In Detroit, the Pistons beat the defending champion Thunder 124-116 in a matchup of conference leaders. Jalen Duren posted 29 points and 15 rebounds, while Cade Cunningham matched the 29 points and handed out 13 assists, as Detroit recorded a sixth win in seven games.

The Thunder were heavily short-handed, starting without five of their six leading scorers. Shai Alexander-Gilgeous (abdomen), Isaiah Hartenstein (calf), Chet Holmgren (back), Ajay Mitchell (abdomen) and Jalen Williams (hamstring) all missed out. Isaiah Joe was the only one from that group to start but departed at halftime with a bruised hip.

Duncan Robinson added 16 points for East-leading Detroit, which moved to 43-14 with the victory. Jaylin Williams responded with a career-best 30 points for Oklahoma City, and Cason Wallace scored 23, but the depleted Thunder could not match Detroit’s balance over four quarters.

The night’s results kept Detroit on top of the East, allowed Denver to maintain pressure on Houston, and stretched San Antonio’s longest streak in a decade, while Oklahoma City and Toronto continued to manage difficult runs caused by injuries and recent home struggles.