Spurs run home mark to 26-0

San Antonio fans should not worry though, as the team still boasts a talent-stacked lineup that includes Leonard, PG Tony Parker and PF Lamarcus Aldridge, all of whom will need to step up their game in the absence of Duncan in order to prove they can still win games without his presence. Mills, for instance, made his first two 3-point tries. San Antonio is 18-4 against the Eastern Conference this season, including 5-1 against the Magic’s Southwest Division.

“There was a play drew up for me coming out of quarter so just wanted to make something happen, I was able to get some good looks from them”, Anderson said. Victor Oladipo led the Magic with 19 points, seven assists, and five steals. Orlando was 39 of 96 for 40.6 percent, but had a 54-34 advantage in the paint and outrebounded the Silver and Black 51-42.

The Magic are a jumpy bunch and Vucevic wasn’t the only player that was completely faked out of a play. But he’s on a one-year deal and is proving a very attractive commodity wherever he goes and rebounds ferociously over opposing big men.

“We didn’t start the game well, but we fought back and made a game of it in the third, ” Magic coach Scott Skiles said. He was also steady on the defensive end, blocking five shots.

Aldridge scored a game-high 28 points while Mills added 22 points.

Irving and James each sank two free throws during the final 13 seconds as Cleveland improved to 25-2 when scoring 100 points or more and 25-3 when leading at halftime.

The chart below shows the teams the Spurs have defeated in the game after losses and the margin of victory in each of those matches this season. But Patty Mills – there’s always another team’s guard that just kills us – and he came in with a ton of energy like he does and knocks down shots and they pull away.

Channing Frye provided the initial spark, making a 3-pointer from the top of the arc to cut the deficit to 43-28. “We’ve struggled so much recently that I’m just happy we battled through it. I would like to close it out better in the last minute in a more professional manner by knocking down free throws and not fouling shooters, but we’ll take it”.

The Spurs matched a season-high with 35 points in the opening quarter, but perhaps it was more fitting that they gave the points right back on the night they celebrated the notoriously defensive-shy Gervin.

Magic: Vucevic has 151 career double doubles, including a team-high 22 doubles this season….

Spurs return home after recent tailspin of two losses in three games for first time this season and first stretch that bad in the regular season since the middle of last March. Orlando has had five or more players score in double figures in the same game on 29 occasions.

Fortunately for San Antonio Spurs fans, Saturday night’s 117-103 loss against the Cleveland Cavilers came by less than 30 points, or the margin of victory the Golden State Warriors won by.