Sports FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2014 Belinelli, balanced Spurs beat Pistons 120-110

SAN ANTONIO: had 20 points to lead eight San Antonio players in double figures, and the Spurs worked through a lethargic start to beat the 120-110 on Wednesday night. had 15 points in his return from a 14-game absence due to a broken finger. Manu Ginobili scored 16 points, and Tiago Splitter had 13 apiece, added 12, 11 and 10. Josh Smith scored 24 points for Detroit, which has lost three straight. Will Bynum added 18 points, 17 and Andre Drummond had 16 points and 17 rebounds. San Antonio (41-16) got off to a sloppy start despite having two practices during a five-day break following its annual Rodeo Road Trip that lasted nearly a month. The Spurs had 11 turnovers in the opening half, leading to 13 points and some pointed coaching by . “What the heck are you guys doing?” Popovich screamed during a timeout following consecutive turnovers. In the second half, San Antonio returned to the crisp ball movement that became a sta- ple of its early victories. The Spurs had 10 assists in the third quarter while shooting 12 for 19 from the field. Leonard had the initial of the quarter, leaping over a fallen defender to throw a bounce pass that Duncan gathered for a running slam ahead of Smith. San Antonio went on a 17-6 run beginning midway through the third to take an 85-75 lead with 2 minutes left in the quarter. Belinelli had seven points in the run and Ginobili added five points and assisted on two of Belinelli’s baskets. Belinelli returned the favor later, drawing Kyle Singler away defensively on a fast break and dishing to Ginobili for an open layup that gave San Antonio a 111-99 lead with 3:36 remaining in the game. Leonard missed his first two tries from the field, coming up a foot short on a 16-foot attempt from the right corner on the game’s opening shot. He was credited with a follow of a missed that Drummond appeared to tip in. Leonard followed with a 3-pointer and threw down a right- handed dunk on Smith off an alley-oop pass from Joseph. Leonard grabbed the brace on his right hand after the dunk, but quickly rose to race back on defense. OKLAHOMA CITY: guard Russell Westbrook (0) shoots in front of Cleveland Cavaliers forward Cleveland 114, Oklahoma City 104 Tristan Thompson (13) during the first quarter of an NBA game in Oklahoma City, Wednesday. Cleveland won scored 14 of his 31 points in the fourth quarter 114-104. — AP to help the Cleveland Cavaliers beat Oklahoma City 114-104 Wednesday night, giving the Thunder their third straight loss Mavericks 108, Pelicans 89 Memphis by just one-half game for the eighth and final Western since the All-Star break. Jarrett Jack scored 21 points, Spencer Dirk Nowitzki shook off an early shoulder issue to finish with Conference berth. Hawes had 19 and Tristan Thompson added 11 points and 11 18 points in Dallas’ victory and New Orleans All-Star Anthony rebounds for the Cavaliers, who snapped a three-game losing Davis was knocked out of the game with a similar problem. Grizzlies 108, Lakers 103 streak. Cleveland shot 14 for 21 from the field in the fourth quar- Nowitzki went to the locker room 31 seconds into the game Courtney Lee scored 18 points, had 14 points and ter against the Western Conference-leading Thunder. holding his left shoulder but emerged a short time later and 12 rebounds, and Memphis weathered Los Angeles’ late 3- had 28 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists, returned to the game. He even had a spin move and finished with shooting display. added 17 points, James Johnson 14 Russell Westbrook had 24 points and nine assists, and Serge a left -handed finger roll in the first half. Davis, the Pelicans’ lead- and Zach Randolph 13 for Memphis. Ibaka added 16 points and 13 rebounds for the Thunder. ing scorer and rebounder, was holding his sprained left shoulder Jodie Meeks led the Lakers with 19 points, Wesley Johnson Oklahoma City is 0-3 since Westbrook returned from his latest on his way to play defense and didn’t return after leaving the added 18 and had 17 points and 10 rebounds. The knee surgery. game during a New Orleans timeout with 4:13 left in the first half. Lakers were 7 of 11 on 3-pointers in the fourth quarter and Jordan The Mavericks (36-23) are a season-high 13 games over .500 after Farmar’s 3 from 29 feet with about 15 seconds left pulled Los Clippers 101, Rockets 93 their fourth straight win, and the Pelicans stayed winless since the Angeles to 106-103. However, Lee’s two free throws closed the had 23 points and 16 rebounds and reserve All-Star break at 0-5. Eric Gordon led New Orleans with 19 points, scoring. Darren Collison scored seven of his 19 points in the final 2:09 to and Brian Roberts had 17. Monta Ellis led Dallas with 23 points, lift Los Angeles past Houston. The Clippers won for the sixth seven assists and four steals, while Vince Carter scored 17. Celtics 115, Hawks 104 time in eight games, converting 20 Houston turnovers into 30 Jerryd Bayless scored a season-high 29 points in a rare start, points. DeAndre Jordan had 13 points and 10 rebounds for his Trail Blazers 124, Nets 80 and Rajon Rondo added 22 points and 11 assists to help Boston 30th double-double. His previous career high was 12 last sea- Will Barton had a season-high 20 points and career-high 11 break a five-game losing streak with a victory over slumping son. rebounds, providing a spark off the bench for short-handed Atlanta. Six players scored in double figures for Boston. Rondo’s Jamal Crawford, who had a season-high seven 3-pointers Portland in its rout of Brooklyn. The Blazers won their fourth double-double was his second straight and fifth overall since he Monday night in a win at New Orleans, was 1 for 6 behind the straight game despite missing forward LaMarcus Aldridge. The returned from a knee injury on Jan. 17. Jeff Teague had 26 points arc against the Rockets and left the game for good with 13 sec- team’s top scorer and rebounder has been out five games with a and DeMarre Carroll scored 24 off the bench for Atlanta, which onds remaining in the first half because of a left calf strain. He left groin sprain. Jason Collins, who became the NBA’s first openly lost for the 10th time in 11 games. had eight points in 15 minutes. Dwight Howard had 23 points gay player when he signed a 10-day contract with the Nets on Back home after an 0-4 West Coast trip, the Celtics had only and 11 rebounds, and added 18 points for the Sunday, entered the game without fan reaction and played a pair nine healthy players after a sore toe forced rookie Kelly Olynyk to Rockets. of scoreless stretches in the fourth quarter. Mo Williams scored 21 the bench alongside regular starters Jared Sullinger and Avery points and Nicolas Batum had 19 to lead seven Portland players in Bradley. The Hawks were missing five injured players, including Bulls 103, Warriors 83 double figures. Deron Williams had 12 points for the Nets, who starters and Paul Millsap. Taj Gibson scored 21 points, Carlos Boozer added 15 points had their lowest point total this season. and 13 rebounds, and Chicago used a big third-quarter run to Magic 101, 76ers 90 win for the seventh time in eight games by pounding Golden Jazz 109, Suns 86 Jameer Nelson scored 12 of his 16 points in the fourth quarter State. Jimmy Butler scored 16 points after missing two games Gordon Hayward had 17 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists and Nik Vucevic had 21 points and 13 rebounds to help Orlando with bruised ribs, Mike Dunleavy Jr. added 15, and to lead a balanced offense and Utah cruised to victory over snap a 16-game road losing streak. Nelson added 12 assists for grabbed 17 rebounds for the Bulls. slumping Phoenix. Richard Jefferson scored 17 points, Diante the Magic, who last won on the road at Chicago on Dec. 16. They also dominated on the glass 56-41, forced 16 turnovers Garrett had a career-high 15 and the Jazz had seven players in Victor Oladipo added 17 points, and Maurice Harkless and and held All-Star Stephen Curry in check while bringing Golden double figures. The Jazz shot 57.5 percent from the field, the Tobias Harris scored 13 apiece. had 19 points State’s four-game win streak to an emphatic end. highest mark of any Phoenix opponent this season. Gerald Green for the Sixers, who lost their 12th straight overall and 11th in a Jordan Crawford scored 16 points for the Warriors and David had 17 points and rookie Archie Goodwin matched his career- row at home. Tony Wroten scored 15 points, Eric Maynor 13 Lee came off the bench to get 11 points in 20 minutes after best with 16 for the Suns. Playing their only road game in a nine- and Henry Sims 10 for Philadelphia, which bought out the con- being hospitalized with a stomach flu and missing two games, game stretch, the Suns have been looking to improve their play- tract of Danny Granger earlier Wednesday. The 76ers finished 0- but Curry tied a season low with five points on 2-of-10 shooting. off position. However, with a third straight loss, Phoenix leads 11 in February. — Agencies