San Antonio Spurs forward Kawhi Leonard passes around Oklahoma City Thunder center Enes KanterSue Ogrocki/The Associated Press
Kawhi Leonard is seizing more responsibility from San Antonio's veteran core, and the Spurs are taking off.
The 23-year-old forward matched a career high with 26 points for the second straight game, and the Spurs rolled past the Oklahoma City Thunder 113-88 on Tuesday night for their eighth straight victory.
Leonard is averaging 19.4 points and shooting 59 per cent from the field during the win streak.
"He's been absolutely amazing," Spurs centre Tim Duncan said. "He's on a tear right now, and we're riding him. He's not doing it the wrong way. He's taking great shots and continuing to be unselfish, but he's absolutely being aggressive. That's what we need from him."
Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said Leonard, last year's NBA Finals MVP, is becoming more comfortable in a leading role.
"He doesn't have a chip on his shoulder or trying to make a statement, he's just playing," Popovich said. "He's getting better all the time, and getting more confident. We're getting him more and more room, and you're seeing a young player blossom."
The Spurs have won each game during their streak by double digits, and by an average of 20.9 points. The defending NBA champions have allowed 93 points or fewer in all eight contests.
"The last 10, 15 games, we've really turned the corner and we're playing solid defensively," Duncan said.
Oklahoma City didn't resemble the team the Spurs faced in last year's Western Conference finals. Popovich said he felt for the Thunder, who were without two of their best players in reigning MVP Kevin Durant (right foot surgery) and Serge Ibaka (right knee surgery).
"No matter how you slice it, it's not a fair fight," Popovich said. "Nobody's going to give back the win. We're going to take the win. I thought we played well, but you feel badly. You see Kevin in that chair out there and the other guys that are hurt and it's not a fair fight."
Duncan had 12 points, nine rebounds and four blocks for the Spurs, who still have a shot at the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference playoffs.
San Antonio point guard Tony Parker left the game with tightness in his right Achilles tendon and did not return.
Russell Westbrook scored 17 points for the Thunder, who lost their fourth straight and fell a half-game behind the New Orleans Pelicans for the No. 8 spot in the Western Conference standings.
"We have to stay together, believe in ourselves, regroup and come back focused," Thunder guard Dion Waiters said. "We have to be locked in. These next four games are very important for us, and everybody has to be on the same page."
San Antonio led 35-10 early in the second quarter and 63-41 at halftime. Leonard scored 23 points in the first half, then matched his career high on a 3-pointer early in the third quarter. The Spurs led 88-57 heading into the fourth quarter.
"They came out and jumped on us from the get-go," Westbrook said. "We just weren't ready for it, but we've got another game on Friday, and we've got to get ready for that one."
PELICANS 103, WARRIORS 100
NEW ORLEANS – Anthony Davis scored 23 of his 29 points in the second half, including two free throws with 9 seconds left, and New Orleans moved into eighth place in the Western Conference by beating Golden State.
Stephen Curry scored 25 points, hitting five 3-pointers, but his final attempt that would have tied the game went in and out.
That allowed the Pelicans to move back into the West's last playoff spot by a half-game over Oklahoma City, which lost to San Antonio.
Quincy Pondexter had 20 points for New Orleans, including his fourth 3 of the game to tie it at 95.
Draymond Green had 24 points for Golden State and Andrew Bogut blocked nine shots.
HEAT 105, HORNETS 100
MIAMI – Goran Dragic scored 28 points, his most since coming to Miami in a February trade, and the Heat helped their playoff chances by topping Charlotte.
Luol Deng scored 21 for the Heat, who snapped a four-game losing streak. Dwyane Wade had 19 and Hassan Whiteside added 12 on 6-for-8 shooting for Miami.
Gerald Henderson led the Hornets with 29 points. Kemba Walker scored 17, Mo Williams had 15, Bismack Biyombo had a 12-point, 12-rebound night, and Marvin Williams grabbed 13 rebounds for Charlotte.
Down 11 early in the fourth, Charlotte trimmed the deficit to three on three occasions – surely bringing back memories of how Miami wasted a 15-point late lead in what became a 99-98 loss at Detroit on Saturday.
The Heat hung on this time.
HAWKS 96, SUNS 69
ATLANTA – Atlanta set a single-season franchise high with its 58th victory, getting 16 points each from DeMarre Carroll and Jeff Teague in a win over Phoenix.
Mike Muscala, starting for injured All-Star forward Paul Millsap, finished with 16 points and Al Horford added 14 for the Eastern Conference champion Hawks.
The Suns missed 31 of 40 shots from the field in the second half to score a season low.
Gerald Green, with 15 points, was the only Phoenix player to score in double figures. Eric Bledsoe, ejected in the third quarter for arguing with officials, led the Suns' starters with nine points.
The 1986-87 and 1993-94 Hawks each won 57 games in the regular season.
CLIPPERS 105, LAKERS 100
LOS ANGELES – Blake Griffin and J.J. Redick scored 27 points apiece and the Clippers completed a 4-0 season sweep of their downtrodden Staples Center co-tenant.
Chris Paul had 19 to go over 13,000 in his career for the Clippers, who have won four in a row and 11 of 12. They beat the Lakers for the second time in 48 hours, winning 106-78 after leading by 43.
The Lakers hung around in the rematch, and even led by four points early after never leading Sunday. Jordan Clarkson led them with 20 points, all in the first three quarters. Tarik Black added 16 points and Wesley Johnson 15.
DeAndre Jordan had 17 rebounds and Paul had 10 assists for the Clippers.
KINGS 116, TIMBERWOLVES 111
SACRAMENTO – Omri Casspi scored 16 of his career-high 31 points in the third quarter and Sacramento overcame a sluggish start to beat Minnesota.
The Kings gave up 31 points in the first quarter and were misfiring offensively until Casspi and Rudy Gay got going to help Sacramento end its five-game losing streak.
Sim Bhullar, Sacramento's 7-foot-5 centre, made history when he checked in for the final 16.1 seconds, becoming the first player of Indian descent to play in an NBA game.
Casspi went 12 of 20 from the floor and made four 3-pointers, three in the pivotal third quarter. Gay had 33 points, seven rebounds and five assists in his first game back after suffering a concussion last week.
Kevin Martin matched his season high of 37 points and had eight assists for the Timberwolves.