LOS ANGELES (AFP) — The San Antonio Spurs edged the Toronto Raptors, 110-107, on Wednesday, pushing their National Basketball Association (NBA) winning streak to 10 games and closing in on Western Conference leaders Oklahoma City Thunder, who fell to the Detroit Pistons.
Devin Vassell scored 21 points and De’Aaron Fox added 20 for the Spurs, who overcame a lackluster offensive night from superstar Victor Wembanyama to push their win streak to double digits for the first time since the 2015-16 season.
The French big man connected on just three of 12 shots on the way to 12 points in the face of a determined Raptors defense.
But Wembanyama was five-for-six from the free-throw line, and his five blocks included a crucial denial of Jakob Poeltl with 44 seconds remaining.
The Spurs improved to 42-16, just two games behind Oklahoma City, who fell to 45-15 after their 124-116 loss to the Pistons in Detroit.
Cade Cunningham and Jalen Duren scored 29 points apiece to lead the Pistons in a battle of conference leaders touted as a possible NBA Finals preview.
The clash lost some luster with Oklahoma City’s reigning NBA Most Valuable Player Shai Gilgeous-Alexander headlining a raft of Thunder absentees as he missed a ninth straight game with an abdominal strain.
Isaiah Hartenstein, Chet Holmgren, Ajay Mitchell and Jalen Williams were also sidelined, and Isaiah Joe departed at halftime with a bruised hip.
The depleted Thunder led, 34-22, after a tight first quarter, but the Pistons outscored them, 36-18, in the second period to seize control and never trailed in the second half.
Duren added 15 rebounds for his 27th double-double of the season. Cunningham handed out 13 assists for Eastern Conference leaders Detroit, who saw a 17-point lead whittled to four with 39.2 seconds left.