OAKLAND, California (Ticker) -- The Golden State Warriors finally got their first glimpse of the real Nick Van Exel.
Van Exel scored 16 of his season-high 29 points in the fourth quarter, including two clutch 3-pointers in the final minutes, as the Warriors posted a 91-89 victory over the slumping San Antonio Spurs.
Van Exel has missed seven games this season as he continues to recover from offseason knee surgery and was averaging 12.1 points per contest. His previous season high was 16, a figure he matched in the fourth quarter of this one.
"I am going to either make it or miss it. I can't be afraid to take it, and that's the way I've played all my life," said Van Exel, who made 7-of-11 shots in the fourth quarter. "If I miss, I fail. If I make it, I help the team win, and that's what it's all about."
"Obviously, Nick has stepped up huge," Warriors coach Eric Musselman said. "He gave us a huge lift offensively and has given the other guys confidence on the floor because of his ability to hit shots at the end of the game."
The veteran point guard scored all but seven of Golden State's 23 points in the final 12 minutes. In a game that featured 17 lead changes, he put the Warriors ahead for good, 90-88, on a 3-pointer with 20 seconds to go.
San Antonio's Tim Duncan had a chance to tie it but made just 1-of-2 free throws with with 10 seconds remaining. Clifford Robinson made 1-of-2 from the line for the Warriors with eight seconds left.
Duncan missed a wide-open jumper from the top of the key as time expired and the Spurs lost for just the third time in the last 25 meetings with the Warriors.
"Down the stretch, most often it comes down to making shots," San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich said. "They did that and we did not."
Erick Dampier posted nine points and 16 rebounds for Golden State, which has won four in a row and is off to its best start since the 1994-95 season.
"I think about the strides this team has made when we shoot 39 percent from the field yet are able to beat the defending champions," Musselman said.
Duncan had 27 points and 15 rebounds and Rasho Nesterovic had 14 and 11 as San Antonio fell to 2-6 away from home after being the NBA's best road team last season.
"It doesn't mean anything," Popovich said. "You just try to get better, if you are on the road or at home. It doesn't matter where you play."
The Spurs had an 82-78 lead after Duncan made a layup with 6:12 remaining. Van Exel responded with a fadeaway 14 seconds later and, after Duncan split two free throws, made a turnaround with 2:48 left.
Duncan again was 1-of-2 from the line before Van Exel buried a long 3-pointer for an 85-84 lead with 2:07 remaining. San Antonio's Manu Ginobili responded with a driving layup, but Van Exel assisted on Dampier's dunk with 94 seconds left.
Duncan had a follow dunk on a miss by Ginobili at the other end before Van Exel buried his third 3-pointer of the night.
