NBA: Spurs smother Warriors in clash of titans

Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry sits on the bench during a timeout in the second half of an NBA basketball game against the San Antonio Spurs, Saturday, March 19, 2016, in San Antonio. San Antonio won 87-79. AP

LOS ANGELES, United States — The San Antonio Spurs shut down Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors, winning the clash of NBA heavyweights 87-79 on Saturday to remain perfect on their home floor this season.

The reigning NBA champion Warriors may be marching toward a single-season record for victories, but they still couldn’t find a way to win in San Antonio, where they haven’t come away with a victory since February 14, 1997.

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The Spurs, who have put together a magnificent season in the shadow of Golden State, improved to 59-10 and 35-0 at home. They have won 44 straight regular-season games in San Antonio in a streak dating to last March.

San Antonio’s streak is tied for the second-longest in NBA history behind only the continuing home streak of Golden State, now at 50 games.

The Spurs held the Warriors scoreless over the final 2:33, building a three-point lead to the final eight-point margin as they asserted themselves against a Warriors team that beat them in Oakland on January 25.

LaMarcus Aldridge scored 26 points and pulled down 13 rebounds. Kawhi Leonard added 18 points and 14 rebounds for the Spurs, who held reigning NBA Most Valuable Player Curry to 14 points.

Curry connected on just four of 18 shots — only one of 12 from three-point range.

The Warriors, playing without injured Aussie big man Andrew Bogut who was hurt in a win at Dallas on Friday, were led by Klay Thompson’s 15 points.

They suffered just their seventh defeat of the season against 62 wins, a hiccup in their pursuit of the single-season record of 72 victories set by the Chicago Bulls of 1995-96.