Spurs 116, Mavericks 90
DALLAS -- The San Antonio Spurs handed the Dallas Mavericks one of their more humiliating home defeats in franchise history with a 116-90 victory Friday night in front a stunned sellout crowd at American Airlines Center.
The Spurs put on a clinic from the start, reeling off a quick 16-4 run that snowballed into an embarrassing evening for the Mavs, who lost for a third consecutive game. San Antonio led 27-12 after the first quarter and 62-26 at halftime behind the power of a 53-18 run.
Spurs forward Kawhi Leonard, who will be a starter in his first All-Star Game next weekend, scored 16 of his game-high 23 points in the first half while all five of Dallas' starters combined for 16 points in the first 24 minutes.
The loss wound up not challenging the mark for biggest home loss for Dallas, whose worst loss at home was 117-70 to Seattle on Nov. 25, 1989. For the Spurs, their 42nd win on the season was their 34th by double digits. All 13 players active for the Spurs scored and nine different players hit at least one 3-pointer.
San Antonio forward LaMarcus Aldridge finished with 14 points and 10 rebounds in 28 minutes, and reserve guard Patty Mills had 16 points on 6-of-8 shooting, including 2-of-2 from beyond the arc.
The Spurs (42-8) were eight of 17 from 3-point range after three quarters (12 of 22 for the game), while Dallas was 1-for-8 after three quarters and three of 15 overall. It was so bad the Mavs (28-25) that if San Antonio had gone scoreless in the third quarter, it still would have led by two points entering the fourth.
Mavs center Zaza Pachulia didn't deal with the frustration well. He was ejected five minutes into the third quarter for arguing a no-call on a dunk, believing Spurs guard Danny Green had fouled him. It came after several earlier incidents and moments after Pachulia and Green got into a skirmish chasing a loose ball. Late in the second quarter Pachulia and Spurs forward David West got into it with both players earning a technical foul and Pachulia getting hit with a flagrant 1.
Dallas actually scored the first six points of the third quarter as the Spurs missed their five shots, but the Mavs' spurt was quickly short-circuited and San Antonio pulled ahead 79-40 with 5:57 to go. A few minutes later Mavs coach Rick Carlisle mercifully pulled the plug with a game at streaking Memphis looming Saturday night.
Forward Dirk Nowitzki was the only Mavs player to score in double figures, finishing with 10 points and eight rebounds, until rookie forward Justin Anderson and forward Charlie Villanueva each got to 13 points in extended fourth-quarter garbage time. Guard Deron Williams had eight points and forward Chandler Parsons finished with six on 3-of-9 shooting.
NOTES: Spurs G Manu Ginobili missed his first game in what is expected to be a month-long recovery from surgery related to a testicular injury. ... San Antonio F Tim Duncan sat out his sixth consecutive game with a sore right knee. ... The Spurs return home Saturday to face the Los Angeles Lakers before finishing their pre-All-Star schedule with back-to-back road games at Miami (Tuesday) and Orlando (Wednesday). ... Mavs G Deron Williams returned to the starting lineup after missing one game with a right hip injury. ... Dallas G Devin Harris missed his seventh consecutive game with a toe injury, and there remains no timetable for his return, although he is not expected back before the All-Star break. ... Dallas plays at Memphis on Saturday and then plays its last game before the break at home against Utah on Tuesday.