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Spurs whip T-Wolves behind balanced offense

Jan 13, 2014 - 3:56 AM San Antonio, TX (SportsNetwork.com) - Kawhi Leonard totaled 17 points and six rebounds to lead the San Antonio Spurs to a 104-86 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves at AT&T Center.

Tim Duncan added 15 points and eight rebounds and Tony Parker contributed 14 points and 10 assists for the Spurs, who have won their last four. Matt Bonner and Marco Belinelli added 14 and 13 points, respectively, off the bench.

"The team, in general, was great. We had a great third and fourth quarter defensively," said Duncan. "We did a much better job keeping them off the offensive glass, and we were able to get a lead and just keep it. It was great."

Nikola Pekovic tallied 22 and six rebounds and Kevin Love had 14 points with seven rebounds for Minnesota, which has alternated losses and wins over its last seven games. Alexey Shved finished with 11 points in the defeat.

Minnesota opened the second quarter with a 14-6 burst to give them the lead, 35-34, with 5:19 left. The teams traded the lead three more times and were tied on four occasions in the last five minutes and the Spurs led, 52-49, at the half.

The T-Wolves scored the first basket out of the locker room and trailed by one, 52-51, the closest they would get the remainder of the game. The Spurs scored six straight after the Wolves were within one.

Minnesota went on a 7-2 run to pull within three, 71-68, with 3:39 left on the clock, however, the Spurs ended the quarter on a 10-3 surge.

The Wolves came as close as 10 points in the final frame but San Antonio had the game well in hand and cruised to the victory.

"That's just Spurs basketball," said Love. "They're very unselfish, they make the extra play and that's tough to beat, especially when they have a couple of Hall-of-Famers in there.

"They've played together for a long time and they're a good team. We played them well through the half and then they became the San Antonio Spurs. So it's tough, especially when they're here in their building."

After exchanging baskets to begin the game the Spurs led, 12-11, with 4:44 left before they rattled off seven straight. San Antonio led by at least five the rest of the quarter and by as many as nine but Minnesota trailed, 28-21, at the end of the first.

Game Notes

The Spurs travel to New Orleans to face the Pelicans on Monday ... Minnesota will host the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday ... San Antonio went 42-for-74 from the field, while the T-Wolves were 33-for-93 on their field goal attempts.