Duncan lifts Spurs past Mavericks
SAN ANTONIO — Tim Duncan had 28 points and 19 rebounds to lead the San Antonio Spurs past the Dallas Mavericks 92-91 on Thursday, giving them a season series sweep over their Texas rivals for the first time in 15 years.
Gary Neal added 16 points and Kawhi Leonard had 12 for San Antonio, which has the Western Conference’s top record at 50-16.
Dirk Nowitzki had 21 points and 11 rebounds for Dallas, which had a four-game winning streak broken.
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San Antonio Spurs forward Tim Duncan reacts after making a shot and being fouled late in the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Dallas Mavericks Thursday in San Antonio. AP
San Antonio last swept Dallas during the regular season in 1998, Duncan’s rookie season.
The Mavericks pulled within 92-91 on a 7-0 run capped by Nowitzki’s fall-away jumper with 28.2 seconds left. After the Spurs’ Manu Ginobili missed a jumper, Vince Carter missed a long, fall-away 3-pointer at the buzzer that would have won the game.
Trail Blazers 105, Knicks 90
Article continues after this advertisementDamian Lillard had 26 points and 10 assists and LaMarcus Aldridge chipped in 22 points and 10 rebounds as Portland handed New York its third straight defeat.
Nicolas Batum added 18 points for the Trail Blazers.
J.R. Smith had 33 points and Kenyon Martin added 12 to lead New York, which shot just 33 percent in the second half. The Knicks still lead the Atlantic Division but have struggled on their recent West Coast road trip with a rash of injuries that has decimated their starting five.
Tyson Chandler suffered a bruised knee in a collision Wednesday at Denver and was unavailable, joining Carmelo Anthony and Amare Stoudemire on the sidelines.
