Spurs rout Nets 106-79 to match best season start

Forward LaMarcus Aldridge collected 25 points and the San Antonio Spurs matched their best start to an NBA season with a 106-79 rout of the Brooklyn Nets on Monday night.

Riding an eight-game winning streak, the Spurs improved to 33-6, equalling the team’s best 39-game start, a mark set in 2010-2011.

Forward Kawhi Leonard added 17 points and rookie centre Boban Marjanovic scored 13, as San Antonio won despite quiet nights from guard Tony Parker and centre Tim Duncan.

A day after firing coach Lionel Hollins and reassigning General Manager Billy King, the Nets were not much better in interim coach Tony Brown’s debut while owner Mikhail Prokhorov watched from a suite.

Brooklyn missed 10 of 12 three-point attempts and committed 19 turnovers that resulted in 30 points to their opponents.

Centre Brook Lopez led Brooklyn with 18 points and forward Joe Johnson added 16 as the Nets (10-28) dropped their 10th consecutive home game, their longest such skid since losing 14 in a row at the Meadowlands.

The Nets scored the first six points of the fourth quarter to peg the deficit back to 77-62 with over 10 minutes remaining but San Antonio streaked away as Leonard sandwiched two three-pointers around a turnaround jumper by Aldridge.

Warriors 111, Heat 103

Stephen Curry scored nine of his game-high 31 points after the Miami Heat closed within seven midway through the fourth quarter, helping the Golden State Warriors hold on for a 111-103 victory on Monday.

Golden State power forward Draymond Green recorded a 22-point, 12-rebound double-double.

Shooting guard Klay Thompson dropped in 17 points as the Warriors (36-2) ran their home record to 18-0 this season, with their 36th consecutive home-court victory overall.

The win did not come easy against a Heat team that prevailed in eight of its previous 11 trips to Oakland.

The Warriors hit only seven of their 23 three-point attempts. Even Curry struggled from beyond the arc, going 4-for-11 on a night when he was just 11-for-27 overall.

However, the reigning NBA Most Valuable Player preserved his club’s seventh consecutive win with two three-pointers, a midrange jumper and one free throw over the final 4:52 to complete his 16th 30-point game of the season.

Wizards 114, Bulls 100

Washington is dealing with numerous injuries but had no trouble beating Chicago 114-100 at the United Centre on Monday.

The Wizards won their second straight game by getting points from 10 players, including seven who finished in double-figure scoring.

John Wall led the way with 17 points, 10 assists and three steals, while Garrett Temple, Otto Porter and Nene all scored 14 points in the win.

Ramon Sessions had 16 points, Gary Neal added 11 points and Drew Gooden finished with 10 points and 12 rebounds, all off the bench.