Even though the San Antonio Spurs were back at full strength Wednesday night with the return of their Big Three, it took a three of another kind to get them over the finish line heading into the NBA All-Star break.
Kawhi Leonard connected on a wide-open three-pointer with 2.9 seconds remaining, giving the Spurs a dramatic 96-95 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers for their 14th win in the last 15 games.
“I was happy they left me open so I could knock down the shot,” said Leonard, who finished with 13 points and 10 rebounds.”
The league-best Spurs (42-12), welcomed back Tim Duncan, Argentine Manu Ginobili and Frenchman Tony Parker from injuries, but trailed the lowly Cavs 95-93 on Dion Waters’ jumper with 9.5 seconds remaining, setting the stage for Leonard’s heroics.
Parker took the in-bound pass and drove the left side, drawing the defence before making a nifty pass to Leonard, who nailed the difference-maker from the right corner over the late-arriving Waters.
“I thought I had the layup, but I saw Kawhi open,” said Parker, who led the Spurs with 24 points.
Kyrie Irving had a final shot to pull out the win for the Cavs, but lost his balance after receiving the inbound pass and missed badly on a desperation jumper from the top of the key at the buzzer. Duncan finished with 13 points after missing eight of the last nine games with a sore left knee, while Ginobili returned with five points after sitting out nine of the last 13 with a tight left hamstring.
♦ Los Angeles Clippers 106, Houston Rockets 96: Caron Butler poured in 17 of his 19 points in the Clippers’ season-high 46-point opening quarter, Blake Griffin had 20 with 11 boards, and the Pacific Division leaders cruised past the visiting Rockets.
Houston was without its top scorer and All-Star guard, James Harden, out with a sore left knee.
♦ Toronto Raptors 92, New York Knicks 88: Alan Anderson scored 26 points, DeMar Rozen added 20 and the visiting Raptors held Carmelo Anthony to a dozen points - 17 below his co-league-best average - to drop the Knicks for their fourth consecutive victory.
♦ Indiana Pacers 101, Charlotte Bobcats 77: Paul George posted his first career triple-double with 23 points, 12 rebounds and 12 assists, and the Pacers spanked the visiting Bobcats for their 16th win in the last 17 home games.
♦ Atlanta Hawks 108, Orlando Magic 76: Josh Smith had 30 points with 10 rebounds, Al Horford added 26 points with 12 rebounds and the visiting Hawks beat the Magic for the ninth consecutive time.
The Magic lost for the 13th time in the last 14 games, hours after Turkish small forward Hedo Turkoglu was handed a 20-game league-suspension without pay after unknowingly testing positive for the use of an anabolic steroid last summer.
♦ Detroit Pistons 96, Washington Wizards 85: Spaniard Jose Calderon scored 24 points, Greg Monroe had 16 with 18 rebounds, and the Pistons won for the third time in four games while snapping the visiting Wizards’ four-game success.
♦ Boston Celtics 71, Chicago Bulls 69: Brandon Bass scored 14 points, Kevin Garnett had eight of his 12 in the final quarter to go along with 11 rebounds, and the Celtics beat the visiting Bulls for their eighth win in the last nine games.
♦ Milwaukee Bucks 94, Philadelphia 76ers 92: Monta Ellis scored a game-high 27 points, Haitian-native Samuel Dalembert had 17 with 14 rebounds and the Bucks rallied past the Sixers to snap a four-game slide.
♦ New Orleans Hornets 99, Portland Trail Blazers 63: Anthony Davis had 21 points with 11 rebounds and the Hornets rolled to their fourth win in the last five games while sending the visiting Trail Blazers to their fifth straight defeat.
♦ Utah Jazz 97, Minnesota Timberwolves 93: Paul Millsap scored 21 points, Al Jefferson had 20 with 11 boards and the visiting Jazz snapped a three-game road slide after holding off a late rush by the T-Wolves, who wasted Spaniard Ricky Rubio’s 18-point, nine-rebound, 10-assist effort.
♦ Brooklyn Nets 119, Denver Nuggets 108: Joe Johnson scored 26 points, C J Watson had 25 and the Nets handed the visiting Nuggets their third straight loss despite a game-high-tying 26 from by Ty Lawson.
♦ Dallas Mavericks 123, Sacramento Kings 100: Vince Carter poured in 17 of his 26 points in the third quarter, German wunderkind Dirk Nowitzki added 17 and the Mavericks rolled to their 18th consecutive home court victory over the Kings.