Leonard leads Spurs over 76ers 109-103
San Antonio Spurs’ Kawhi Leonard (2) goes up for a shot against Philadelphia 76ers’ Brandon Davies (0) during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Monday, Dec. 1, 2014, in Philadelphia. San Antonio won 109-103. AP
PHILADELPHIA — Kawhi Leonard scored a game-high 26 points and had a crucial three-point play in the final minute to help the San Antonio Spurs defeat the winless 76ers 109-103, extending Philadelphia’s club-worst losing streak to start the season to 0-17.
The Spurs (13-4) played without stars Tim Duncan (rest) and Tony Parker (shoulder). Even without the duo’s more than 31 points out of the lineup, San Antonio had little trouble dispatching Philadelphia. Aron Baynes scored 15 points and Manu Ginobili and Cory Joseph each added 14 for San Antonio, which won its eighth straight. Leonard also had 10 rebounds while tying a career-high in points.
Michael Carter-Williams had 24 points and 11 rebounds and Alexey Shved chipped in 19 points for Philadelphia.
Philadelphia became just the fourth team in league history to open a season with 17 losses, joining the 1998-99 Clippers (0-17), 1988-89 Heat (0-17) and the 2009-10 Nets (0-18). The 76ers can tie the Nets for the worst start in NBA history on Wednesday at Minnesota with a potential chance to break the record at home on Friday against Oklahoma City.
Denver’s Ty Lawson had 15 points and made a double-pump jumper to beat the shot clock with 29.6 seconds left to boost the Nuggets over the Utah Jazz 103-101.
The game heated up after Arron Afflalo was ejected and the Jazz stormed back from a 22-point deficit to tie the game in the final minutes.
Lawson, who also had 12 assists, made the game-winner from the left wing between two Jazz defenders.
Hayward scored 25 points, Burks had 22 and Burke chipped in 18, but Utah’s losing streak hit six games — the longest skid since March 10-19 last season.
At Washington, John Wall had 18 points and 13 assists as the Wizards made their first seven 3-pointers to beat the Miami Heat 107-86.
The Wizard held the Heat to 2 for 22 from beyond the arc for the game.
Rasual Butler scored 23, and Marcin Gortat added 15 points and 10 rebounds for the Wizards, who never trailed and led by 21 in the first half and 25 in the second.
Chris Bosh led Miami with 21 points, and Dwayne Wade had 20 in his second game back from an injured right hamstring.
The Los Angeles Clippers downed the Minnesota Timberwolves 127-101 in the most successful road trip in club history after Blake Griffin and J.J. Redick each scored 23 points before sitting out the fourth quarter.
DeAndre Jordan had 13 rebounds and 11 points for the Clippers, who won their fifth in a row following their 6-1 trip and beat Minnesota for the 10th straight time.
Shabazz Muhammad had 18 points and 10 rebounds for the Timberwolves.
