Leonard Scores 31 Points As Spurs Rout Lakers, 134-94
SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Kawhi Leonard had 31 points despite sitting out the fourth quarter, and the San Antonio Spurs set several season highs in rolling past the Los Angeles Lakers 134-94 on Thursday night.
San Antonio rebounded from a last-minute loss to Milwaukee on Tuesday with its highest point total and largest margin of victory this season. The Spurs also set a season high with their best field goal shooting (61 percent).
Pau Gasol had 22 points, nine rebounds and six assists in 26 minutes. Tony Parker and LaMarcus Aldridge added 13 points apiece.
The Spurs' starters did not play in the final quarter after closing the third with a 31-point lead. San Antonio increased the advantage to 40 points in the fourth, matching a season high.
Julius Randle had 22 points on 6-for-7 shooting, but he was the only Lakers starter in double figures.
The Spurs also set a season high for points in any half with 72 in the opening two quarters.
D'Angelo Russell fouled Leonard on an attempted heave from near midcourt with 0.3 seconds remaining in the first half, allowing the Spurs' forward to make three free throws and extend the lead to 72-54.
Leonard had 23 points by halftime, one shy of matching his career high for any half.
Defense was at a premium for much of the first half, with the Spurs shooting 60 percent and the Lakers at 46 percent midway through the second quarter. The inefficiency led San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich to scream at his team during a timeout in the second quarter.
The Spurs responded by holding the Lakers to 7-for-20 shooting and forcing four turnovers in the third to open a 106-75 at the close of the quarter.
TIP-INS
Lakers: F Larry Nance Jr. missed his 12th straight game with a bruised left knee. Nance has not played since scoring 10 points against Charlotte on Dec. 20. . Randle (sprained left ring finger), Russell (sore left knee) and Tarik Black (sore right ankle) all played after being listed as probable due to injury. . The Lakers' last win against the Spurs was Dec. 12, 2014. . Jordan Clarkson, who attended high school in San Antonio, received warm applause when he first entered. Clarkson and Oklahoma State's Andre Roberson were teammates on the Wagner High School team that reached the state semifinals in Texas' highest classification in 2009 and 2010.
Spurs: Danny Green was 1 for 3 on 3-pointers, giving him 796 for his career to move past former teammate Robert Horry for 142nd in NBA history. . San Antonio has scored 100-plus points in 16 consecutive games, its longest streak since hitting the century mark in 22 straight in 1995. . At 24.1 points per game, Leonard is the first Spurs player to average 24-plus since Tim Duncan in 2002. If he can maintain that average, he will join Duncan, George Gervin and David Robinson as the only players in franchise history to do so. . Parker has played in 1,110 career games, moving past Rasheed Wallace for 59th on the all-time list.
UP NEXT
Lakers: At the Los Angeles Clippers on Saturday night.
Spurs: At the Phoenix Suns on Saturday night.
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