Spurs end 4-game home losing skid, top short-handed Rockets

DeMar DeRozan scored 24 points, Dejounte Murray had 18 points and 10 rebounds and the San Antonio Spurs rallied to beat the undermanned Houston Rockets 103-91 on Saturday afternoon, snapping a fourgame home losing streak.

Murray had seven points in the fourth quarter, including a breakaway dunk that put the Spurs up 97-85 with 3:18 remaining after stripping Mason Jones of the ball at midcourt.

Rockets center Christian Wood had 24 points and 17 rebounds, and Jones had a season-high 24 points. Ben McLemore had a seasonhigh 21 points on 4-for-7 shooting from three-point range.

Houston was on the brink of not having eight players available as required by the league, but met the minimum in the final hour.

The Rockets had seven healthy players after Sterling Brown was ruled out due to a lower leg injury, but Rodions Kurucs became eligible prior to game time when the NBA approved the blockbuster trade involving James Harden.

Houston acquired Kurucs, Victor Oladipo and Dante Exum, along with several draft picks for the disgruntled Harden on Wednesday. Oladipo and Exum were not with the team, and the Rockets were without John Wall, Eric Gordon, Demarcus Cousins, Brown and three others due to injuries.

Despite being short-handed, the Rockets had a 10point lead in the first half. Houston built the advantage on three-point shooting and finished 12 for 32 from long range.

ELSEWHERE

A Pacers: Indiana will be without newly acquired Caris LeVert, 26, indefinitely after an MRI showed a mass on his left kidney during a physical to complete this week’s blockbuster four-team trade.

Team officials made the announcement Saturday on Twitter. They say he will undergo more tests and additional details will be released at a later date.

LeVert was acquired in the deal that sent James Harden to Brooklyn.