The San Antonio Spurs beat the Golden State Warriors 87-79 on Saturday, handing the California side their 33rd loss in a row in Texas during regular season games.
The Warriors, last season's NBA champions, have the best record in the league with 62 wins and 7 losses this season. However, the Spurs could be their kryptonite.
Golden State hasn't been able to beat the Spurs in San Antonio in a regular season game since 1997. Saturday's loss was the Warrior's 33th consecutive defeat to the Spurs in Texas. This is also the longest draught by an NBA team on another's home court.
LaMarcus Aldridge of the Spurs had 26 points and 13 rebounds to lead his team to victory at AT&T Center in Texas. Kawhi Leonard had 18 points and 14 rebounds, while Boris Diaw got 14 points and grabbed 8 boards.
Dubbed "a defensive showdown" by NBA analysts, the Spurs also held the Warriors to their lowest points scored in a game this season and handed them their 7th loss.
In Golden State, Klay Thompson had 15 points and 5 rebounds, while Draymond Green had 11 points and 9 rebounds. Meanwhile, last season's MVP Stephen Curry of the Warriors only scored 14 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 assists during 38 minutes on the court.
Although Curry has 30.5 points a game of scoring this season with an average of 51 percent of field goals and 46 percent of three-points-made per game, the Spurs defense limited him to 4-18 field goals and 1-12 three-points made.
One for the record books
Saturday's game also marked several records for both teams.
The Spurs had their 35th consecutive win at home court this season as they remain undefeated at AT&T Center.
It is also the 44th home-court victory in a row for the Spurs in their franchise history, in which they tied the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls' back-to-back home-court wins.
However, the Golden State Warriors already hold that record in the NBA as they scored their 50th home-court win this past Wednesday in northern California.
In addition, the Warriors have already eyed the same Bulls' regular season record of 72 wins and 10 losses during the 1995-96 season, when the Chicago team boasted legendary players such as Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen and Steve Kerr.
For the Warriors to beat that record, they have to win at least 10 of their remaining 13 games this season. However, they have to play against the Spurs twice – on April 7 in California and April 10 in Texas – before the regular season ends.
Steve Kerr, the Warriors' head coach, had 3 NBA championships with the Bulls between 1995 and 1998, and two more with the Spurs, in 1999 and 2003.
Kerr led the Warriors to a championship last season, and is now pursuing his 7th ring in the NBA.
