The San Antonio Spurs will initiate their lengthiest homestay of the season as they welcome the short-handed Golden State Warriors for a match on Monday, which marks the second encounter in a consecutive series hosted by the Spurs.

Victor Wembanyama, the standout rookie, is anticipated to return to the Spurs lineup after being sidelined for two previous games due to a right ankle ailment.

On the other hand, the Warriors will continue to miss the services of the star guard Stephen Curry as he recuperates from an ankle injury, with his recovery period expected to be protracted. Curry is slated for reassessment on Tuesday.

San Antonio showcased an impressive performance on Saturday in their 126-113 triumph over the Warriors in San Francisco. Keldon Johnson notched 22 points and secured 11 rebounds, complemented by Jeremy Sochan and Malaki Branham each contributing 20 points for the Spurs, who were also without Devin Vassell due to a hip contusion.

The Spurs established a commanding lead of 19 points at halftime and maintained a 17-point advantage following three quarters, successfully withstanding a surge by the Warriors early in the second half. This victory halted a two-game losing streak for San Antonio and marked their initial win against the Warriors since 2022, after enduring a losing streak of five games.

“We make our share of mistakes, that’s for sure, as a young team,” San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich said after Saturday’s win. “But they’re learning, they’re getting more consistent in a lot of different areas. Just happy for them.”

Dominick Barlow (scoring 19 points) and Julian Champagnie (scoring 17) achieved season-high scoring contributions for San Antonio, while Tre Jones delivered a game-leading 11 assists during the victory on Saturday.

“I know our record doesn’t tell the full story but we’re still trying to win and we’re still trying to play competitive basketball,” Barlow said. “It just feels good getting back into the win column.”

The Spurs are scheduled to play their ensuing eight games (and 10 out of the following 11) as the hosting team, with two matchups set to take place in Austin, Texas.

During the game on Saturday, the Warriors failed to narrow the margin to less than nine points in the second half, demonstrating a lack of offensive effectiveness and team cohesion against the lowest-ranked team in the Western Conference standings.

Klay Thompson notched 27 points off the bench in the defeat, with Jonathan Kuminga adding 26, Trayce Jackson-Davis and Andrew Wiggins contributing 11 each, and Chris Paul tallying 10 points and nine assists in the setback.

“Just a bad loss — just not good,” Thompson said afterward. “But we will flush it and bounce back Monday.”

Despite facing consecutive losses and dropping three of their last four games, the Warriors are currently securing the 10th position in the Western Conference standings, positioning them for participation in the play-in tournament. The recent decline marks the first instance since Jan. 25 and 27 that the Warriors have succumbed to consecutive losses.

“We just never had any traction in the game,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. “I didn’t feel like we had confidence or energy. We had some breakdowns and it just felt like we were never really in the game.”

San Antonio’s home record against the Warriors has been unfavorable since 2021, having suffered four consecutive losses in the Alamo City throughout this span. The teams have split victories in their two encounters thus far this season.