Spurs keep perfect home season with win over Mavericks
Dallas Mavericks guard Deron Williams (8) drives past San Antonio Spurs guard Tony Parker, of France, during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Jan. 17, 2016, in San Antonio. San Antonio won 112-83. AP
SAN ANTONIO — San Antonio stretched its franchise-record unbeaten streak this season to 24-0 by routing Texan rival Dallas 112-83 on Sunday.
The result opened a 13-game gap between the top and second teams in the NBA’s Southwest Division, and meant the Spurs were now only 1-1/2 games behind Golden State for the Western Conference and overall league lead.
Elsewhere, Russell Westbrook posted his second straight triple-double to lead Oklahoma City to a big win over Miami, while a 3-pointer with 21 seconds left gave Denver victory over Indiana in a high-scoring contest.
San Antonio’s LaMarcus Aldridge scored 23 points as the Spurs stretched their unbeaten at home streak to 33 games dating back to last season. The 36-6 record after 42 games tied the franchise record set five seasons ago.
The Spurs won easily despite the loss of Tony Parker late in the third quarter to right hip soreness; the same injury that forced him to sit out two games at the start of the month. Wesley Matthews led Dallas with just 12 points.
Oklahoma City cruised to a 99-74 win over Miami, with Westbrook finishing with 13 points, 15 assists and 10 rebounds. It was his fifth triple-double of the season and the 24th of his career. Kevin Durant had 24 points and 10 rebounds for the Thunder, which set a season best for least points allowed.
It was also the least points scored by the Heat this season. Dwyane Wade, who missed the previous game due to shoulder soreness, led the Heat with 22 points on his 34th birthday.
Denver’s Randy Foye hit a go-ahead 3-pointer with 21 seconds left to cap a come-from-behind 129-126 victory over Indiana. The Nuggets came back in the second half to get their seventh straight win at home over the Pacers. Danilo Gallinari had 23 points. Myles Turner scored a career-high 25 points for Indiana.
Houston pulled away in the second half to win 112-95 at the Los Angeles Lakers, led by 31 points from James Harden. Minnesota emphatically ended a run of nine straight losses and posted its first win of 2016 by beating Phoenix 117-87.
