Spurs Rally To Top Jazz 126-118 For 2nd Straight Victory Without Injured Wembanyama

Harrison Barnes had 25 points and 10 rebounds, rookie Stephon Castle scored 18 points and the San Antonio Spurs rallied to defeat the Utah Jazz 126-118 on Thursday night for their second straight win without Victor Wembanyama.

Zach Collins added 18 points and Chris Paul had 13 points and 10 assists for San Antonio.

Lauri Markkanen scored 27 points and Keyonte George added 19 for Utah, which lost its fourth straight.

Wembanyama and Devin Vassell missed their third straight game with minor knee injuries. Wembanyama has a bruised right knee and Vassell has a sore left knee. San Antonio acting head coach Mitch Johnson said both should return “really soon.”

San Antonio started slowly coming off an emotional victory against Oklahoma City on Tuesday.

Spurs center Charles Bassey provided the needed spark, finishing with 11 points, eight rebounds and a career-high six blocks.

After trailing by 18 points early in the second half, San Antonio outscored Utah 34-22 in the third quarter and scored the first four points in the fourth to tie the game at 89 and going on to a 41-29 scoring edge in the period.

Jazz: Utah had 11 turnovers in the second half after only three in the first half.

Spurs: San Antonio outscored Utah 75-51 in the second half.

After stuffing Kyle Filipowski for his fifth block late in the third, Bassey tiptoed along the baseline, saving a Spurs possession that ended with the center scoring off an alley-oop from Tre Jones. Bassey’s series of plays cut Utah’s lead to 88-82 with 1:07 remaining.

San Antonio (8-8) did not win their eighth game last season until Jan. 20, when they beat the Washington Wizards 131-127 to move to 8-34.

The Jazz host New York, and the Spurs host Golden State to end a three-game homestand, both Saturday.