Leonard hits game-winner to lift Spurs over Wizards, 107-105
SAN ANTONIO (AP) - Kawhi Leonard scored 23 points, including the winning jumper with 6 seconds left, and the San Antonio Spurs overcame another sluggish start at home to beat the Washington Wizards 107-105 on Friday night.
LaMarcus Aldridge added 19 points for San Antonio, which won its 17th straight home game against Washington.
Bradley Beal was 5 for 5 on 3-pointers in scoring 23 points for the Wizards.
Beal's final 3 gave Washington a 103-102 lead with 53 seconds remaining. Danny Green's 3-pointer, his first points of the night, put San Antonio ahead 105-103 with 19 seconds to go.
John Wall tied it at 105 with 11.2 seconds left on a driving layup against Manu Ginobili before Leonard rose for a 20-foot jumper at the top of the key. Otto Porter Jr. missed a 9-foot runner off a Washington inbounds play that would have tied the game.
Wizards center Marcin Gortat had 21 points and 18 rebounds, collecting his 11th double-double of the season in the first half.
Washington has just one victory in eight road games, but its fortunes were lifted by the Spurs' struggles at home this season.
San Antonio trailed after the first quarter for the fifth time in nine home games. The Spurs scored only 24 points, falling behind by as many as 11 before closing the first quarter trailing 28-24.
San Antonio shot 47 percent from the field in the opening period, but took eight fewer shots. The Spurs were scoreless for 4:22, committing two turnovers and missing four shots and two free throws during the drought to fall behind 16-7.
The slow start was worsened by Beal's hot hand. Beal opened 4 for 5, causing Green to shake his head and leave his hand raised after the 6-foot-5 guard drained a contested 3-pointer.
The second unit again came to San Antonio's rescue, led by the 39-year-old Ginobili.
Ginobili banked in a 14-footer at the close of the first half off an inbounds play that had the Wizards scrambling to find their man.
In the third quarter, Ginobili helped the Spurs avoid a backcourt violation on an errant pass by tossing the ball back before tumbling to the backcourt after a leaping, one-handed grab. The save led to a jumper by Aldridge that cut Washington's lead to 71-66.
Ginobili finished with 13 points.
San Antonio's bench outscored Washington's 11-2 in the third quarter, leading the Spurs to their first lead (78-76) since the opening minute of the game.
TIP-INS
Wizards: Washington's last victory in San Antonio was Dec. 11, 1999. Mitch Richmond had 31 points in leading the Wizards to 99-89 win over a San Antonio team that featured Tim Duncan and David Robinson. . Wizards C Ian Mahinmi (sore right knee) and F Danuel House Jr. (broken right wrist) missed the game with injuries. . Washington is 4-1 this season when holding an opponent under 100 points.
Spurs: PG Tony Parker sat out with a bruised left quadriceps, missing his fifth game this season. In addition to one game missed for rest, Parker sat out three games in early November due to a sore right knee. . San Antonio, which entered leading the NBA in free throw percentage, opened the game 1 for 6 from the line. . C Pau Gasol has played in 1,074 career games, surpassing Hall of Famer Charles Barkley for 78th all-time. . The Spurs have won 19 of 21 against the Wizards overall.
UP NEXT
Wizards: At Brooklyn on Monday.
Spurs: At Milwaukee on Monday.