Sacramento Kings forward Rudy Gay, left, drives against San Antonio Spurs forward Kawhi Leonard during the first quarter of an NBA basketball game in Sacramento, Calif., Monday, Nov. 9, 2015.(AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)
Kawhi Leonard scored 24 points, Tim Duncan had 11 points and 14 rebounds and the San Antonio Spurs beat the Sacramento Kings 106-88 on Monday night.
The Spurs pulled away in the fourth quarter to win their second straight and fifth in six games since dropping their season-opener to Oklahoma City.
LaMarcus Aldridge had 16 points and nine rebounds, Tony Parker had 13 points and the Spurs outscored the Kings 34-19 in the fourth quarter. The Spurs shot 53 percent.
DeMarcus Cousins had 21 points and 12 rebounds in his return to the lineup but the Kings dropped their sixth straight game. Ex-Spur Marco Belinelli had 17 points, Omri Casspi had 16 and Rajon Rondo had nine points and 12 assists.
The Kings have used seven different starting lineups through eight games. Cousins (Achilles tendon strain) missed the previous four games, all losses.
With the scored tied at 55 in the third quarter, the Spurs ran off 11 straight points. But Cousins had 13 points and converted 9 of 12 free throws in the period, helping pull the Kings to within 72-69 going into the fourth.
Cousins picked up his first technical foul of the season with 13 seconds left in the first half. He was called for a personal foul, and on his way to the bench, he yelled an expletive at referee Ben Taylor.
San Antonio has defeated the Kings six straight and 25 of their last 27 meetings.