Spurs 113, Clippers 103
Patty Mills scored 16 of his 25 points in the final quarter to lead visiting San Antonio past Los Angeles.
Marco Belinelli added 20 points and Tim Duncan contributed 19 points, 13 rebounds and seven assists for the Spurs, who improve to 5-2 on their nine-game rodeo road trip. Danny Green scored 13 of his 14 points in the first half for San Antonio, which had a 48-38 rebounding advantage and was without point guard Tony Parker due to assorted injuries.
Blake Griffin had 35 points and 12 rebounds to pace the Clippers, who had a three-game winning streak halted. Jamal Crawford added 25 points and DeAndre Jordan grabbed 18 rebounds and blocked six shots for Los Angeles.
Mills scored San Antonio’s first 11 fourth-quarter points and later drained a 3-pointer to make it 102-92 with 4:35 remaining. Los Angeles was within nine after Matt Barnes’ basket with 2:14 to play before Manu Ginobili and Boris Diaw converted consecutive baskets to make it 111-98 with 1:25 left.
San Antonio led 56-51 at halftime despite 15 first-half points from Griffin. The Clippers tied the contest at 67 with 4:52 left in the third quarter before the Spurs closed with an 8-2 run to take an 82-76 lead into the final stanza.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Griffin has scored 35 or more points in six of the last seven games. … Ginobili (hamstring) returned from an eight-game absence to score nine points in 15 minutes while F Kawhi Leonard (hand) and C Tiago Splitter (shin) continue to sit out. … Clippers G J.J. Redick (back) has been ruled out indefinitely due to a bulging disk.