Kawhi Leonard matched his career high with 32 points before leaving with a bruised quadriceps and the San Antonio Spurs beat the Miami Heat, 112-88, on Wednesday night to remain perfect at home.
San Antonio earned its 36th straight home victory to open the season, leaving the Spurs a game shy of matching the record set by the Chicago Bulls in 1995-96.
Leonard’s injury could have put a damper on the team’s 60th overall victory, but it did not appear serious. He exited with 6:01 remaining in the third quarter after sinking a free throw to complete a three-point play after being fouled on a driving layup by Justise Winslow. Leonard went straight to the locker room, followed by Spurs trainer Will Sevening.
The extent of the injury was not immediately known, but San Antonio’s team doctors remained in the team’s box suite — possibly indicating that the injury didn’t require urgent attention.
Hawks 122, Wizards 101 — Reserve Dennis Schroder scored 23 points, Kyle Korver connected on five 3-pointers, and Atlanta Hawks came back to beat host Washington in the second half of the teams’ home-and-home series.
Led by Korver and his 15 points, Atlanta (42-30) made a season-high17 threes to keep pace in a competitive Eastern Conference playoff picture.
Paul Millsap scored 17 points and Al Horford added 13 for the Hawks.
Atlanta used a 25-5 second-half run to wrest control of the game away from the Wizards (35-36), whose winning streak was snapped at five.
Marcus Thornton led Washington with 23 points.
John Wall was held to 13 points on 6-of-17 shooting.
Turnovers were the Wizards’ undoing as they committed 13 in the second half.
Two nights after a 15-point home loss to the Wizards, the Hawks fell behind by as many as 10 early. They recaptured the lead in the second quarter and trailed by only 4 at halftime.
Jazz 89, Rockets 87 — Derrick Favors’ dunk with 1.6 seconds left lifted Utah past host Houston. Gordon Hayward had 22 points, and Favors added 17 to help Utah move a half-game ahead of Houston into the eighth and final spot in the Western Conference playoff standings.
Cavaliers 113, Bucks 104 — LeBron James scored 26 points, Kevin Love added 24, and host Cleveland held off Milwaukee.
Pistons 118, Magic 102 — Andre Drummond had 30 points and 14 rebounds, and host Detroit never trailed in beating Orlando.
Knicks 115, Bulls 107 — Rookie Kristaps Porzingis tied a career high with 29 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, Carmelo Anthony added 24 points and visiting New York dumped Chicago.
Timberwolves 113, Kings 104 — Karl-Anthony Towns had 26 points, 11 rebounds and four blocks to lead host Minnesota past Sacramento.
Nuggets 104, 76ers 103 — Emmanuel Mudiay made a 35-footer at the buzzer to finish with 27 points to lift host Denver over Philadelphia.