Spurs 95, Bucks 70
SAN ANTONIO -- Forward Tim Duncan scored 16 points and pulled down 10 rebounds despite not playing in the fourth quarter as the San Antonio Spurs shrugged off some early ragged play and defeated the Milwaukee Bucks 95-70 on Wednesday to remain undefeated at home.
San Antonio (15-4) substituted liberally beginning in the first two minutes and kept running fresh players at the young Bucks, whose starting five combined have the number of years in the league as Duncan, who is in his 18th year in the NBA.
The Spurs trailed by three points in the game's first two minutes but reeled off a 14-4 run and never looked back. San Antonio rested most of its starters the entire fourth quarter but still outscored the Bucks 19-15 in the period.
Forward Kawhi Leonard added 13 points for the Spurs after leading San Antonio in scoring for the past seven games. Reserve guard Patty Mills poured in 13 points for San Antonio and reserve forward Boris Diaw scored 11 points.
This was the first time this season that a player other than Leonard, forward LaMarcus Aldridge or guard Tony Parker led the Spurs in scoring.
The Bucks' (7-12) offensive output was a season low while the 70 points allowed was a season low for an opponent.
Milwaukee was led by forward Kris Middleton's 16 points while center Greg Monroe scored 14. The Bucks shot just 33.8 percent from the floor and were outrebounded 54-44.
San Antonio led 28-21 at the end of the first quarter as the Bucks hit on just six of their 20 shots (30 percent) in the first 12 minutes. The Spurs weren't much better, shooting 48 percent, but they missed both of their 3-point attempts, extending a woeful streak from long distance that began Monday in a loss to Chicago.
The Bucks' shooting was even worse in the second quarter -- they were 28.2 percent at the half -- as San Antonio's defense clogged the paint and the passing lanes, forcing Milwaukee to try to shoot over the taller and bigger Spurs. San Antonio led 48-38 at halftime as Duncan had 10 points and six rebounds while Monroe paced the Bucks with 10 points.
The Spurs expanded their lead to 76-55 after three quarters as all 11 players who entered the game scored at least two points.
NOTES: The Spurs went 2-for-14 from 3-point range on Monday in a 92-89 loss at Chicago, the fewest made 3s this season for San Antonio. The showing came two days after the Spurs made a season-high nine 3-pointers in a win over Atlanta. ... On March 6, 1982, the Spurs beat the Bucks 171-166 in triple overtime. The 171 points are still a San Antonio club record and the 337 combined points by the teams remain the second-highest total in a game in NBA history. ... Spurs F Kawhi Leonard scored 25 points on Monday in the loss to Chicago, the fifth straight game he reached at least 20 points. ... The Bucks held the Nuggets to 14 fourth-quarter points and 30 second-half points in their 92-74 win on Monday, which were season lows for Milwaukee opponents. ... The Bucks have dropped six straight games to the Spurs dating to Jan. 10, 2012. ... Bucks F Jabari Parker scored a season-high 16 points and added a career-high two blocked shots on Monday against Denver.