Durant, Leonard both injured, out
Spurs beat Hornets in battle of division leaders
The Brooklyn Nets won’t have Kevin Durant for at least the next two games of the Nets’ West Coast road trip. He has a mild hamstring strain, according to the team, and will sit out both ends of their back-to-back on Monday and Tuesday against the Kings and Suns.
Durant had 20 points in 33 minutes against his former team as the Nets blew out the Warriors on Saturday night.
In his first season back from a torn Achilles, Durant has been basically at full capacity. He’s averaged 35.7 minutes per game, tied for ninth in the league as of Sunday, but missed 9 of the team’s 28 games, mostly due to various coronavirus exposures. The Nets also twice load-managed him after he played 50 and 42 minutes in overtime wins against the Cavs and Hawks.
After missing the next two games, the earliest Durant could return is a Thursday night nationally televised game at the Lakers.
LEONARD OUT, TOO: Kawhi Leonard didnt play for the Los Angeles Clippers against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Sunday night, joining injured teammate Paul George on the sideline.
Leonard sat out because of a left lower leg contusion. Coach Tyronn Lue said the injury occurred during the team’s recent trip, and he isn’t sure when Leonard might return.
Sunday
SPURS 122, HORNETS 110: In Charlotte, N.C., Dejounte Murray had 26 points and 12 rebounds, and San Antonio outlasted short-handed Charlotte.
Derrick White scored 12 of his season-high 25 points in the fourth quarter, helping San Antonio to its fifth win in six games. The Spurs also improved to 5-0 this season against Eastern Conference teams.
Terry Rozier had 33 points for the Hornets, who played without leading scorer Gordon Hayward because of a sore back and P.J. Washingt/on, Caleb Martin and Cody Martin due to health and safety protocols.
PISTONS 123, PELICANS 112: In Detroit, Mason Plumlee had 17 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists for his first career triple-double, and Detroit spoiled coach Stan Van Gundy’s return to Motown.
Van Gundy was the coach and president of basketball operations for the Pistons from 2014-18. He’s coaching the Pelicans now, and Detroit became the latest team to blitz New Orleans from 3-point range.
Detroit went 17 of 35 from beyond the arc — 13 of 21 during the final three quarters.
TIMBERWOLVES 116, RAPTORS 112:
In Tampa, Fla., Karl-Anthony Towns scored seven of his 20 points late in the fourth quarter before fouling out and Minnesota snapped a four-game losing streak.
The Raptors had a chance to tie the game in the closing seconds after Beasley stepped out of bounds with 12.1 seconds left. But, Pascal Siakam missed a layup that was contested by 6-foot-10 Jaden McDaniels.
WIZARDS 104, CELTICS 91: In Washington, Bradley Beal returned from a rare night off to score 35 points, Russell Westbrook was a rebound short of a triple-double, and the Wizards beat Boston.
Beal, the NBA’s leading scorer who sat out Friday night’s loss to the New York Knicks, appeared rejuvenated as he hit 10 of 18 from the field, converted four 3-pointers and made all 11 of his free throws.