SAN FRANCISCO: Stephen Curry capped a season-best, 49-points performance by sinking the game- winning free throws in the final seconds as the visiting Golden State Warriors outlasted the San Antonio Spurs 109-108 on Friday in an NBA Cup clash.
The Warriors swept a two-game mini-series in San Antonio over three nights and won for the third time in their past four games overall. Golden State improved to 1-1 in West Group C play in the league’s in-season tournament, while the Spurs fell to 1-1.
San Antonio led by 10 early in the fourth quarter before Curry, Gary Payton II and Brandin Podziemski shot Golden State back in front at 101-100 with 3:37 remaining.
Spurs star Victor Wembanyama jumped over a defender for a tip-in to expand the lead to 108-105 with 1:06 left. Jimmy Butler III’s layup cut the gap to a point, and after a stunning block by Wembanyama and a miss by the Spurs’ De’Aaron Fox, Curry drove the lane and was fouled with 6.4 seconds to play.
Curry made both free throws. After a timeout, San Antonio went back to Fox, whose contested jumper at the buzzer bounced twice on the rim before falling away.
Butler finished with 21 points while Will Richard and Podziemski added 10 each for the Warriors.
Wembanyama led San Antonio with 26 points and 12 rebounds, and Fox had 24 points and 10 assists. Julian Champagnie added 14 points, and Stephon Castle and Devin Vassell hit for 13 and 11, respectively.
San Antonio enjoyed a 20-18 advantage after 12 minutes of play. Golden State knotted the game at 28 on Quinten Post’s 3-pointer with 8:40 to play in the second quarter.
The Warriors grabbed a lead thanks to their long-distance shooting, as 3-pointers by Curry and Podziemski and two from Richard put Golden State up 40-33. San Antonio closed the half on a 10-4 run to get within 47-45 at the break.
Curry’s 18 points led all scorers before halftime. Fox paced the Spurs with 14 first-half points.
Golden State used a 14-6 run to take a 68-66 lead with 3:36 to play in the third. The surge was capped by highlight-reel bank shot from Curry, who was fouled on the attempt and completed a three-point play.
Stephen Curry reels off 49 points as Warriors rally past Spurs
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Stephen Curry reels off 49 points as Warriors rally past Spurs
- The Warriors swept a two-game mini-series in San Antonio over three nights and won for the third time in their past four games overall
Messi dazzles as Miami beat Vancouver to win MLS title
- Argentina superstar Messi provided assists for two goals and helped create another to spark wild celebrations before a rapturous home crowd at the Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale
FORT LAUDERDALE, United States: Lionel Messi inspired Inter Miami to their first ever MLS Cup title on Saturday, playing a leading role in a 3-1 victory over the Vancouver Whitecaps in Florida.
Argentina superstar Messi provided assists for two goals and helped create another to spark wild celebrations before a rapturous home crowd at the Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale.
Miami took the lead after an early Edier Ocampo own goal but were left reeling by Ali Ahmed’s second half-equalizer for Vancouver.
But Messi then laid on an assist for Argentina international team-mate Rodrigo De Paul to put Miami 2-1 up before supplying the pass for Tadeo Allende’s injury time goal that sealed victory.
Miami’s first Major League Soccer crown provided glittering vindication for co-owner David Beckham, the former England and Manchester United star who had long dreamed of bringing success to Miami.
“There was a lot of sleepless nights, but I always believed,” Beckham said afterwards. “I always believed in bringing the team here, and when I found the right partners I knew anything was possible.
“We always promised our fans that we would bring success, and bring the best players, and today we’ve achieved that.”
Vancouver — spearheaded by German legend Thomas Mueller — had looked the likelier victor after recovering from Ocampo’s eighth minute own goal to level through Ali Ahmed in the 60th minute.
The Whitecaps almost took the lead moments after the equalizer, with Emmanuel Sabbi’s shot crashing off both posts in the 62nd minute as Miami escaped.
But with the Whitecaps in complete control, the Canadians were stunned when Miami regained the lead after a blunder by midfielder Andres Cubas.
Cubas took too long in possession and was robbed by Messi, who skipped clear before releasing De Paul to provide the clinical finish.
Vancouver never recovered from that hammer blow and Miami started the party in injury time when Messi played in Allende for the third to make it 3-1.
The win marks the crowning achievement of Inter Miami since the club — which entered the league as an expansion club in 2020 — successfully lured Messi to Miami in 2023.
Saturday’s victory also marked the end of an era for two key figures in Miami’s rise to the top of Major League Soccer, with former Spanish internationals Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets heading into retirement.
