Spurs defeat Knicks, 109-83, extending win streak to 7

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — LaMarcus Aldridge had 18 points and 11 rebounds, and the San Antonio Spurs beat the New York Knicks 109-83 on Friday night to extend their season-best winning streak to seven games.

DeMar DeRozan and Bryn Forbes each had 13 points for San Antonio, whose previous season high was five straight victories.

New York, which was without injured point guard Dennis Smith Jr., lost its eighth straight.

Knicks guard Damyean Dotson had 21 points and DeAndre Jordan added 11 points, 13 rebounds and matched a career high with nine assists.

New York snapped an 18-game skid at home in the teams’ previous meeting, upending the Spurs 130-118 on Feb. 24 as part of San Antonio’s worst Rodeo Road Trip ever. The Spurs have had a greater sense of urgency since going 1-7 on that road trip and it continued against the team with the league’s worst record (13-66).

San Antonio opened an 11-point lead in the first quarter and maintained that double-digit advantage for much of the game.

Emmanuel Mudiay had five points as part of a 9-2 run beginning midway through the third quarter to pull the Knicks within nine points. Trailing 76-67, New York had an opportunity to pull closer but Kadeem Allen missed a contested layup as Aldridge raced back on defense following a turnover. Rudy Gay followed with a 3-pointer to extend the Spurs’ lead to 79-67 and turn back the Knicks.

Gay, Jakob Poeltl and Marco Belinelli added 12 points each for San Antonio. Poeltl also had nine rebounds and matched a career high with five blocks.

TIP-INS

Knicks: Smith missed the game with a sore lower back. Coach David Fizdale said the team is unsure how the injury occurred, but Smith is day-to-day. “His back just kind of went out on him,” Fizdale said. “He had a couple of collisions there during the last game (Tuesday against Indiana).” . New York is 7-30 away from home, which is one more road win than Cleveland, Phoenix and Dallas. . Mitchell Robinson blocked two shots, extending his streak of consecutive games with a block to 26. Among Knicks rookies, only Patrick Ewing’s 28 straight games with a block is longer in franchise history. . The Knicks’ previous win in San Antonio was Jan. 2, 2014, behind a double-double from Carmelo Anthony. . Forward Noah Vonleh did not return after injuring his right ankle in the first half.

Spurs: San Antonio is 24-1 at home this season when leading after the third quarter. The Spurs led 82-69 entering the fourth. . DeRozan has 1,380 points this season, surpassing Dale Ellis (1,366) for third-highest total among non-rookies in their first season with the Spurs. Terry Cummings sits atop the list with 1,818 points followed by Artis Gilmore’s 1,479. . Forbes has 143 3-pointers this season after going 3 for 5 against the Knicks. He has the most 3-pointers in a season of any undrafted player in Spurs history.

UP NEXT

Knicks: Host L.A. Lakers on Sunday night.

Spurs: Host Portland on Saturday night.