Spurs 108, Nuggets 103
SAN ANTONO -- The San Antonio Spurs extended their win streak to 15 games behind forward Tim Duncan's 29 points and 13 rebounds, defeating the Denver Nuggets 108-103 on Wednesday night.
Duncan was 12 of 20 from the field and added five assists, as San Antonio (55-16) recorded its second longest streak in franchise history. The longest, 17, happened during the 1995-96 season.
The Spurs had an all-around offensive performance with guard Danny Green, who scored 16, all in the first hald. Guards Manu Ginobili, Tony Parker and center Tiago Splitter each had 10.
Green suffered a right mid-foot sprain and played only two minutes in the second half.
San Antonio was up by as much as 24 points in the third period before Denver made a fierce run to grab the lead behind forward Kenneth Faried's 15 fourth quarter points. He connected on the first of two free throws to cut the lead to four with 3:30 left in the game. Even with their defense stepping up, they forced 15 second-half turnovers, it was the closet they would get. They could only manage seven points the rest of the way.
San Antonio though, answered back with Duncan, as he scored seven points down the stretch to seal the game for the Spurs.
The league's hottest team, which has not lost since Feb. 21 in Phoenix, started the game hitting its first six field goals on the way to a 34-28 first quarter lead.
The Spurs kept their offensive pressure on, shooting 57 percent from the field behind Green's 16 first-half points. He helped them extend their lead, knocking down his fifth 3-pointer of the half at the buzzer to give them a 63-43 lead at halftime.
Denver, which suffered itd fourth straight road loss , took an early lead, 4-2, when forward Quincy Miller hit a 16-foot jump shot two minutes into the game. It was the Nuggets last lead of the game.
Guard Aaron Brooks had 25 points off the bench to lead the Nuggets (32-40).
Faried had 25 and Miller 11, while center Timofey Mozgov added 14 points and 11 rebounds.
The teams will meet again Friday in Denver.
NOTES: Spurs F Matt Bonner, who has missed the last two games, is expected to be out for two weeks. An MRI on Tuesday confirmed a right calf strain for Bonner, who is averaging 3.1 points off the bench. ... Denver, which has compiled a long list of injured players, added another one to the list. F JJ Hickson had season-ending surgery on Tuesday for a torn anterior ligament in his right knee. He was injured in Friday's loss to the Dallas Mavericks. ... Defending Valero Texas Open champion Martin Laird was presented a game ball before tip-off. The Texas Open golf tournament will be played this weekend at the TPC San Antonio course. ... Spurs G Danny Green and Nuggets G Ty Lawson were teammates on the 2009 North Carolina Tar Heels national championship team.
