Spurs climb into fourth spot in West

Needing a win to strengthen their playoff hopes, San Antonio turned to the only things they have been able to rely on this season:

Defense and LaMarcus Aldridge.

Aldridge had 25 points and 11 rebounds while playing through an ailing knee, and San Antonio held off the visiting Oklahoma City Thunder 103-99 on Thursday night to climb back into fourth place in the Western Conference.

Aldridge played despite bruising his left knee following a collision in Tuesday’s 116-106 loss to Washington. The Spurs are already without an injured Kawhi Leonard, so they desperately needed Aldridge as they battle for a playoff berth.

San Antonio matched Oklahoma City at 44-32 in jumping two spots in the standings. The Thunder are fifth, a half-game ahead of the New Orleans Pelicans.

Aldridge scored 21 points in the first half, then drove past Steven Adams for a dunk and a threepoint lead with 52 seconds left as the Spurs snapped a two-game slide.

at Detroit 103, Washington 92: Andre Drummond scored 24 points and pulled down 23 rebounds, and the Pistons picked up their fifth win in six games to keep their slim playoff hopes alive.

at Miami 103, Chicago 92: Josh Richardson scored 22 points, Goran Dragic added 17 and the Heat trimmed their magic number for clinching a playoff berth to one. Justise Winslow scored 13 points and Kelly Olynyk finished with 11 for the Heat (41-35), who have won a season-best eight consecutive home games and moved within a half-game of Washington for the No. 6 spot in the Eastern Conference playoff race.

Indiana 106, at Sacramento 103:

Victor Oladipo scored 13 of his 24 points in the fourth quarter, including a pair of free throws with 2.5 seconds remaining, and the Pacers held on for the win. Bojan Bogdanovic had 25 points, Thaddeus Young added 18 points and eight rebounds, and Darren Collison finished with eight points and nine assists.

Milwaukee 116, at Golden State

107: Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 32 points, Kevin Durant’s return from a rib injury ended early with a second-quarter ejection, and the Bucks beat the Warriors for only the second time in their last 10 meetings. With the Warriors’ loss, Houston clinched the top spot in the Western Conference.