Healthy Spurs blast Nets
Lowly Mavericks snap Raptors' six-game winning streak
SAN ANTONIO — The Spurs' first game with every player healthy and available went as the team expected.
There was some hesitation and a rash of early turnovers, but they grew comfortable as the game progressed.
Kawhi Leonard scored 21 points, LaMarcus Aldridge added 20 and San Antonio beat Brooklyn 109-97 on Tuesday night, its 15th straight win at home over the Nets.
"(The rash of injuries is) very unusual for us, but we still have a month and a half until the rodeo (road trip) starts," Spurs veteran Manu Ginobili said. "This is a good time to get everybody playing, everybody feeling good. Get Kawhi and Tony (Parker) back to their usual selves, back to their rhythm, feeling good and I think we are accomplishing that. Slowly, because they haven't been back for so long, but they are really showing progress."
San Antonio is third in the Western Conference at 24-11 despite being without Leonard and/or Parker for 30 games this season.
Aldridge has led the team during the duo's absence and his resurgent season has not slowed with their return. The 6foot-11 forward was 7 for 15 from the field and had nine rebounds against Brooklyn.
MAVERICKS 98, RAPTORS 93
J.J. Barea scored 20 points, including a clinching a layup in the final seconds, and the Mavericks ended another six-game winning streak by Toronto with a victory over the Raptors.
The Mavericks held DeMar DeRozan and the Raptors to season lows in shooting percentage as Toronto lost for just the second time in 14 games, with each loss coming after six straight wins.
Dirk Nowitzki scored 18 points and fellow German Maxi Kleber had 15 points and matched his rookie season best with five blocks. Harrison Barnes had 16 points and 10 rebounds.
SUNS 99, GRIZZLIES 97
Tyson Chandler dunked Dragan Bender's inbounds pass from the opposite sideline with 0.4 seconds remaining to give the Phoenix Suns a victory over the Memphis Grizzlies.
Bender threw a perfect pass and Chandler jumped over a defender to slam it down, though the play was reviewed by officials to see if there was offensive basket interference. After replay review, the basket counted, and Kobi Simmons missed the Grizzlies' last attempt to tie at the buzzer.
Devin Booker scored 32 points in his return from a threeweek injury absence before fouling out in the final minute, but the Suns needed one final play after Jarell Martin slammed in a rebound with 0.6 seconds remaining to tie it at 97.
BULLS 115, BUCKS 106
Nikola Mirotic came off the bench to score 24 points in 28 minutes and the Bulls won for the eighth time in 10 games, beating the Bucks.
Chicago's surge coincides with the return of Mirotic, who missed the beginning of the season after suffering facial fractures in an October fight with teammate Bobby Portis.
Kris Dunn rebounded from a 1-for-12 shooting game Saturday against Boston with 20 points and 12 assists in 33 minutes for the Bulls.
Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 28 points and Eric Bledsoe had 22 to pace Milwaukee, which has lost five of seven.
CLIPPERS 122, KINGS 95
Montrezl Harrell scored 22 points and Lou Williams added 21, both off the bench, to lead the Los Angeles Clippers to a 122-95 rout of the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday night.