Spurs 110, Pelicans 97
SAN ANTONIO -- Forward LaMarcus Aldridge poured in a season-high 36 points to lead a parade of four San Antonio starters in double-figure scoring as the Spurs outlasted the New Orleans Pelicans 110-97 on Wednesday to remain unbeaten at home.
Aldridge had 10 points, including eight from the free-throw line, in a decisive late fourth-quarter run for the Spurs in which they expanded a four-point lead into an 11-point advantage.
San Antonio kept pushing the ball into the post to its big offseason free-agent signee, and New Orleans fouled him on most every possession. Aldridge then went to the charity stripe and made the Pelicans pay.
San Antonio (41-8) improved to 27-0 at the AT&T Center this season, setting a record for the best home start ever by a Western Conference team. (Golden State is also unbeaten at home this season, but has played just 22 home games.)
The victory also allowed the Spurs to extend their regular-season home victory streak to 36 games, dating back to an overtime loss to Cleveland last March, and matched the best ever start in franchise history after 49 games (set in 2010-11).
Forward Kawhi Leonard added 26 points for San Antonio while guard Danny Green hit for 16 and forward David West scored 14 points. The Spurs got just 16 points from their vaunted bench, with 14 of those coming from guard Patty Mills (eight) and guard Manu Ginobili (six).
The Pelicans (18-30) were led by forward Anthony Davis' 28 points. Reserve guard Jrue Holiday added 20 points (16 of them in the first half), while guard Norris Cole scored 14 points and reserve forward Ryan Anderson hit for 10 points and 10 rebounds.
New Orleans had defeated the Spurs in four of the teams' past five games, including a 104-90 home win on Nov. 20, so the Pelicans had San Antonio's attention from the start.
Davis scored 12 of the Pelicans' initial 21 points as New Orleans built a 21-14 lead at the 4:30 mark of the first quarter. The Spurs struggled to respond, eventually finding their stride thanks to a 16-6 run keyed by a pair of 3-pointers by Green and another by Ginobili to end the quarter up 30-27.
San Antonio was able to create a little breathing room in the second quarter as Aldridge had 14 points, Leonard had 11 and West totaled 10 points to help give the Spurs a 53-45 lead at halftime. Holiday's 10 points in the second quarter (he had 14 at halftime) kept the Pelicans within shouting distance despite the fact New Orleans shot just 43 percent in the half and made only one of its 10 3-point attempts.
Spurs coach Gregg Popovich was whistled for a technical foul while arguing a call midway through the third quarter as the Pelicans forged an 11-2 run that cut the San Antonio lead to 64-60.
New Orleans regained its advantage on two free throws by Davis with 3:39 to play in the quarter. The two teams traded the lead four times until the Spurs took charge in the final minute and carried an 83-79 advantage to the fourth period.
NOTES: Spurs F David West was selected by New Orleans in the first round (18th overall) in the 2003 NBA Draft. He spent eight years in New Orleans, averaging 16.4 points and 7.3 rebounds in 530 games. ... Entering Wednesday's game, the Spurs owned an 11 1/2-game lead in the NBA's Southwest Division, the largest cushion in the division's history (since 2004-05). ... San Antonio F Kawhi Leonard is just the third player in NBA history (Michael Jordan, Hakeem Olajuwon) to be named an All-Star, NBA Finals MVP and Defensive Player of the Year. ... With G Eric Gordon sidelined with a broken right ring finger, Pelicans G Norris Cole has been inserted into the starting lineup and is averaging 14.2 points and 5.8 assists while shooting 52.9 percent from 3-point range. ... The Pelicans are posting an offensive rating of 114.6 in games they've won, the highest in the NBA during victories. ... New Orleans has not been shy about taking 3-point shots this season. The Pelicans have connected on 10 or more 3-pointers in 20 games, including their last five and eight of their last 10 entering Wednesday.