Duncan had 30 points, 12 rebounds and five blocks, and the Spurs beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 119-113 on Saturday night.

Kawhi Leonard added 24 points and 13 boards, and Manu Ginobili added 14 points and 10 assists for San Antonio (51-16), which is 1 1/2 games ahead of Oklahoma City for the top seed in the Western Conference.

“Tim saved our (butt),” said Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, who was ejected midway through the second quarter. “He obviously carried the whole night for us. He was great. It shouldn’t have to be that way.”

Nando De Colo had 11 points and Tiago Splitter 10 for the Spurs.

Playing without its top two players in point guard Kyrie Irving and center Anderson Varejao, Cleveland (22-44) led 103-102 with 5 minutes left in the game.

Opponents were averaging 96.2 points against the Spurs entering Saturday’s game, but the Cavaliers had 90 after three quarters. For a franchise and a coach that has won four NBA titles on the shoulders of its defense, the lack of focus is troubling to say the least.

“We’ve got to step up and play better,” Ginobili said. “The playoffs are around the corner; 15 games to go and we are doing worse than at the beginning of the season. We’ve got to go by this slump and get our things together.”

Wayne Ellington had 21 points and fellow reserve Marreese Speights added 19 for Cleveland. Shaun Livingston had 16 points, and Alonzo Gee and Dion Waiters added 15 apiece.

Neither offense was slowed by the loss of its starting All-Star point guards. Parker is expected to miss another two weeks with a Grade 2 left ankle sprain and Cleveland will be without Irving (shoulder) for another three weeks.

It was defense that both teams were lacking.

“We’ve been emphasizing for two and half weeks and it hasn’t done any good,” Popovich said. “I need to learn another language or I don’t know what. But, very disappointed in our defensive execution in the last two to three weeks after we raised our stock from being a middle of the road defensive team last year to one of the top two or three this year.

“Then in the last three weeks, we decide to toss it; that it’s not important. I’m really concerned and disappointed in that.”

Frustration with that defense may have led to Popovich’s ejection. He was ejected with 6:33 left in the first half after arguing a charge Ed Malloy called on Boris Diaw against Luke Walton. After the initial technical, Popovich was quickly assessed a second and ejected after storming onto the court, yelling and pointing at Malloy.

San Antonio outscored Cleveland 19-12 down the stretch, but the Cavs shot 51 percent from the field.

Duncan blocked Tristan Thompson’s layup attempt with the Spurs leading 113-109 and 54.9 seconds remaining. Duncan also blocked Waiters’ shot with 17.9 seconds left and San Antonio leading 116-111.

It was two of the few defensive highlights for the Spurs.

“It’s not been great and I don’t know why,” Duncan said. “I think the effort is there. We’re playing hard. We’re giving up too many straight drives right to the rim. We’ve got find a way to kind of counter that; find a way to clean that up.”

Duncan had 13 points in the first quarter, going 6 for 9 and collecting six rebounds.

He tossed in a 2-foot jumper that gave the Spurs a 30-21 lead with 3 minutes left in the first quarter. Leonard picked up an assist on the basket, hustling in from out of bounds to tip his own missed shot to Duncan.

“We’re moving the ball and it’s gone to the post a little more,” Duncan said. “That’s where I’m a little more effective. I still haven’t gotten my shot back the way I want it. I’m just trying to be aggressive.”

Waiters’ 3 with 7 minutes left in the first half capped a 13-5 run that gave the Cavaliers a 48-44 lead.

After CJ Miles made both free throws on Popovich’s technicals, the Spurs closed the first half on a 22-11 run to take a 66-61 lead. Ginobili had eight points in the run and Duncan added seven.

Cleveland shot 61 percent from the field in the first half.

“I think they’re the best team in the league,” Cavaliers coach Byron Scott said. “I don’t know if they’re going to win it. They have the best talent and the best coach, so they have a great shot of winning another championship. I think for us, we played this game really well.”

The Spurs never trailed in the third quarter, but Livingston’s layup with 1:20 left tied the game at 90 to set up the fourth quarter.

Game notes

Varejao, who missed his 41st game, will not return after being diagnosed with a blood clot in his lung. . Splitter is the only player to appear in every game for San Antonio this season, having started 45 of 67 games. . The Spurs continue to use their D-League affiliate to develop their young reserves, sending De Colo and Aron Baynes to the Austin Toros on Friday. De Colo was recalled prior to Saturday’s game, playing 24 minutes while going 4 for 6 from the field. . San Antonio is 34-6 overall at home against Cleveland. . Ellington (ankle) played 22 minutes after being listed as a game-time decision.

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Dallas At Brooklyn
When: 8:00 PM ET, Friday, March 1, 2013
Where: Barclays Center, Brooklyn, New York
TV: 8 p.m. ET, Fox Sports Southwest (Dallas), YES (Brooklyn)
PREDICTION: Nets 97, Mavericks 92

Oddsmakers currently have the Nets listed as 3½-point favorites versus the Mavericks, while the game’s total is sitting at 194.

Forward Dirk Nowitzki struggled in the loss against Memphis with just 10 points on 4-of-11 shooting. The poor outing followed Nowitzki’s best three-game stretch of the season in which he averaged 25.3 points and 13.3 rebounds. Nowitzki has closed in on his previous All-Star form after struggling earlier in the season upon returning from preseason knee surgery. He is averaging 16 points and 6.6 rebounds. The Mavericks tallied just 46 points over the final three quarters against Memphis after putting 38 on the board in the opening quarter.

Dallas:
Team record: 25-32 SU, 33-24 ATS
Current streak: lost 3 straight games.

is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing Brooklyn
is 8-3 SU in its last 11 games when playing on the road against Brooklyn
is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Brooklyn
is 5-13 SU in its last 18 games on the road

When playing on Friday are 6-4
Before playing Houston are 7-3
After playing Memphis are 6-4
After a loss are 6-4

Last time out for Dallas, they were a 90-84 loser as they battled the Grizzlies on the road. The Mavericks covered in the match as a 7.5-point underdog, while 174 combined points moved the game UNDER for totals bettors.

Point guard Deron Williams is playing well despite struggling with inflammation in both ankles. Williams matched his season high with 33 points in Tuesday’s win over the Hornets as he scored Brooklyn’s final 11 points. Williams was encouraged by his decisive closing stretch. “It’s something I’ve kind of struggled with this year and I was really successful at it most of my career,” said Williams, “so it feels good to be able to finally have a game like that.” Williams is averaging 23.8 points over the last four games to raise his season average to 17.3.

The Nets were a 101-97 winner in their most recent outing on the road against the Hornets. They covered the 3-point spread as underdogs, while the total score (198) made winners of OVER bettors.

Brooklyn:
Team record: 34-24 SU, 26-30-2 ATS

is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games
is 11-5 SU in its last 16 games at home
is 8-15 ATS in its last 23 games when playing Dallas
is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games at home

When playing on Friday are 3-7
Before playing Chicago are 3-7
After playing New Orleans are 2-8
After a win are 5-5

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Jeremy Lin sank five 3-pointers, a career high, and Chandler Parsons and James Harden hit four apiece as the Rockets reached a season-high point total. They also tied an NBA record with 14 3-pointers in the first half and dished out a season-high 35 assists on 46 field goals overall.

Lin scored 28 points, Harden added 18 and Parsons scored 16 for Houston. The Rockets put on the shooting display without their best 3-point shooter — Carlos Delfino sat out with a right elbow injury.

Jarrett Jack scored 20 points and David Lee had 18 for the Warriors. Houston tied the single-game record for 3s set by Orlando in a 139-107 win over Sacramento on Jan. 13, 2009.

The Rockets were 18 of 27 from 3-point range through three quarters, and they also bottled up Golden State’s leading scorer, limiting Stephen Curry to seven points on 3-for-12 shooting.

Houston finally hit a dry spell early in the fourth, missing its first three 3-point attempts. Marcus Morris then hit one from the wing, and Parsons flashed him a smile as the two trotted back down the court.

With the outcome decided, Rockets coach Kevin McHale pulled his starters with about six minutes left, leaving the pursuit of the NBA record to the reserves. Newcomer Patrick Beverley sank one from the corner for No. 22 and seldom-used Donatas Motiejunas swished another to tie Orlando’s mark.

The fans figured out quickly they were on the verge of witnessing history, beginning to chant “One more 3!” with less than two minutes left. Beverley drove for a one-handed dunk with 1:04 remaining, prompting a mix of cheers and groans.

Beverley took a hard foul from Draymond Green on a 3-point try with 34 seconds left. Beverley and Green snapped at one another, prompting a heated argument between several players. Green and Morris were ejected.

The Rockets had one more possession to grab the record outright, but Golden State wasn’t going to allow it, intentionally fouling the Rockets at the end.

Morris sank three 3-pointers for Houston, which had never made more than 17 in a game.

The Rockets went 7 for 10 from 3-point range in the first quarter, but only 13 for 25 from the field overall. Lin and James Anderson sank 3s early in the second quarter to keep Houston in front. The Warriors made 20 of their first 32 shots and still couldn’t keep pace.

Houston tied an NBA record with 14 3s on only 18 attempts in the first half. Milwaukee had 14 3s in a half against Phoenix in March 2006 and New York matched that total twice last season — against Portland on March 14 and against Boston on April 17.

Curry, though, had the most spectacular shot before the break, just beating the buzzer with a half-court shot to cut Houston’s lead to 77-62.

But Golden State’s perimeter defense was no better in the third quarter, and 3-pointers by Parsons and Lin stretched the gap past 20. Harrison Barnes ran out to guard Lin on his next 3-point attempt, and Lin blew by him for a layup and an 87-64 Houston lead.

Toney Douglas swished a 3 from the corner with 1:38 left in the third quarter for No. 18, and Houston cruised over 100 points. The Warriors shot 54 percent (36 of 67) through three quarters and still couldn’t mount a rally.

Game notes

The Warriors have lost 15 of their last 17 games against the Rockets, and nine in a row in Houston. … Golden State dropped to 8-1 this season when scoring at least 30 points in the first quarter. … Houston sank at least 10 3-pointers for the 27th game. … The Rockets set season highs for first-quarter and first-half points.

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However, inside the red zone is where Gronkowski definitely will be missed.

Gronkowski is almost unstoppable in the red zone. His size, long wingspan and strong hands made him an ideal target for Patriots quarterback Tom Brady to spot in the end zone. Gronkowski caught 38 touchdowns in three seasons, and a majority of his scores were inside the 20-yard line. He caught 11 touchdowns in 11 regular-season games in 2012 despite being in and out of the lineup.

The Patriots will be fine between the 20s. Aaron Hernandez can stretch the field at tight end. Wes Welker can get open over the middle and move the chains. And other Patriots like receiver Brandon Lloyd, Deion Branch and tailbacks Shane Vereen and Stevan Ridley will pick up the slack.

But the Patriots cannot afford to settle for field goals instead of touchdowns this deep in the playoffs. Outside of Gronkowski, no other Patriot caught more than six touchdown passes this season.

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The Pacers (22-14) have won 12 of 15 and have swept the other two Eastern Conference division leaders — Miami and the Knicks — this week.

New York (23-12) was led by J.R. Smith with 25 points and Tyson Chandler had 12 points and 15 rebounds, but they clearly missed Anthony’s presence. The NBA’s second-leading scorer was banned by the league for Monday’s postgame confrontation with Boston’s Kevin Garnett.

Without Anthony, one of the league’s highest-scoring and best shooting teams, hardly resembled itself. New York finished with a season-low point total, nine fewer than its previous low, and shot just 34.8 percent from the field and 20 percent from 3-point range.

But Smith kept the Knicks close for three quarters.

After falling behind 49-38 early in the third quarter, Smith scored eight points during a 13-3 run that got the Knicks to 52-51. And he closed the quarter by scoring the last four points to give the Knicks a 60-58 lead.

That’s when George poured it on.

He drove in for a layup, then stole the ball and drove in for a dunk to tie the score at 62. After Gerald Green’s 3-pointer broke the tie and Ian Mahinmi hit a 20-foot jumper, George came up with another steal and layup. Mahinmi finished the run with a dunk that gave Indiana a 71-62 lead with just under 5 minutes to play.

The Pacers never trailed again, and the Knicks never seriously challenged again.

Indiana won despite playing without the still injured Danny Granger, losing Roy Hibbert twice with a back injury and with George Hill playing with bronchitis.

New York lost Marcus Camby in the second half after he re-injured his left foot, and Amare Stoudemire played 21 minutes, 31 seconds after doctors told coach Mike Woodson to limit his playing time. Stoudemire is trying to work his way back from surgery on his left knee.

But it was a game that was definitely played at the Pacers tempo.

After New York jumped to an 11-4 lead in the first 5 1/2 minutes, the Knicks managed only three points the rest of the quarter. Indiana led 16-14 after one.

Things weren’t much better the second quarter. After New York closed to 24-23 with 6:27 to go, the Pacers extended the lead to 39-31. Jason Kidd’s 3-pointer with 9.5 seconds left, New York’s first 3 of the game, made cut the deficit to 39-34 at the half.

The post Pacers knock off Knicks as Carmelo Anthony serves suspension appeared first on IdealCapper.

Kobe Bryant scored 38 points and Dwight Howard had 21 points and 15 rebounds for the Lakers, who lost for the second time this season to their Staples Center co-tenants.

Bryant carried the Lakers in the fourth quarter when they closed to 99-97 on his 23-foot jumper with 1:29 left. But Paul scored the Clippers’ final eight points to seal the victory and drop the Lakers two games below .500. The Clippers lead the Lakers by 10 games in the standings.

The Lakers continue to struggle under new coach Mike D’Antoni. They’ve lost three of their last four games.

The Clippers shot 50 percent and outscored the Lakers 52-36 in the paint.

Bryant scored 16 points in the fourth, when the Lakers rallied from 19 points down. The Clippers fouled for much of the final 5:51, and the Lakers made 10 of 12 free throws. Howard missed two foul shots but then made two to get the Lakers within four before Bryant’s jumper got the Lakers the closest they had been since early in the game.

But Paul closed with a flourish, including a 6-for-6 stretch at the line, while Bryant’s 3-pointer went in and out with 43 seconds to go.

The Lakers got within three early in the third only to have the Clippers push their lead to 10 points. It was a similar situation in the second, when the Lakers got within five points on Bryant’s 3-pointer before the Clippers ran their lead back to 10 points by halftime.

The first three quarters were punctuated with several highlight dunks from both sides. Paul fed DeAndre Jordan and Griffin on alley-oop slams that had the sellout crowd of 20,179 roaring.

The Clippers had dropped two consecutive road games earlier in the week, when their 17-game winning streak was snapped.

Jodie Meeks scored 14 points for the Lakers and fellow reserve Jordan Hill had 13 before he sprained his right ankle early in the fourth.

Game notes

Clippers F Jamal Crawford missed the game with a sore left foot that he hurt in Denver. … Clippers G Chauncey Billups will start working out Saturday after being out most of the season recovering from surgery. … Clippers F Grant Hill is expected to return next week after missing all season because of surgery.

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