Popovich ejected as Warriors beat Spurs, Portland win thriller

Golden State claimed back-to-back wins by accounting for a slumping San Antonio 112-92 in a fiery match that saw Spurs coach Gregg Popovich ejected.

Klay Thompson and Kevin Durant led the way in San Antonio as the resurgent Warriors posted their fifth win in six games.

Thompson posted 27 points, while Durant had 24 points against the injury-riddled Spurs, who crashed to a fourth successive defeat.

The Spurs were without Kawhi Leonard and Tony Parker for the first meeting between the two teams since Golden State swept San Antonio in the Western Conference finals last season.

Popovich is one triumph short of Phil Jackson for the sixth-most wins in NBA history. The Spurs legend has 1,554 career victories which stands alone as the seventh most of all time.

The Spurs started the game looking like they would get Popovich that win, but thanks to a good second quarter and an even better third, the Warriors were able to come away with a win.

San Antonio have now had four chances to give their coach the win that ties him with Jackson and they have lost all four times.

Perhaps it was little wonder that a frustrated Popovich was ejected in the fourth quarter after a foul-mouthed tirade in which he labeled an official a "terrible f****** referee."

Meanwhile, the Trail Blazers edged the Lakers 113-110 in Portland.

Los Angeles rookie Lonzo Ball had a nightmare match after being kept scoreless in 28 minutes of play against the Trail Blazers.

The 20-year-old rookie took a mere two shots while on the court. He did not even attempt a free throw.

Lonzo was also left off the court for a long stretch in the second quarter when the Lakers' second team came back from an 18-point first-quarter deficit.

Then in the third quarter, Ball was on the bench again as Kyle Kuzma led the backups in a back-and-forth frame that saw the Lakers tie the game and eventually take a lead.

The Lakers hit a late three to tie the game but Damian Lillard responded with a winning shot from beyond the arc as time expired.