Pau Gasol's season-high help Spurs end home skid
SAN ANTONIO (AP) -- Pau Gasol had season highs with 21 points and six assists, and the San Antonio Spurs snapped a three-game home losing streak with a 96-86 victory over the Detroit Pistons on Friday night.
Gasol was 10 for 16 from the field as San Antonio snapped its longest home skid since dropping three straight in December 2014.
Gasol, who also had nine rebounds and two blocked shots, had 13 points in the first quarter. It was the most points he has scored in any half this season and was his second-highest total this year.
Kawhi Leonard had 17 points and LaMarcus Aldridge added 14 points and 12 rebounds for the Spurs.
Tony Parker added seven points and four assists in 21 minutes after missing the previous three games with a sore right knee.
Andre Drummond matched his season high with 20 points and added 17 rebounds in Detroit's third straight loss.
After trailing by as many as 13 points in the fourth quarter, Detroit held San Antonio to two points in a four-minute span to pull within 89-84 with 2 minutes remaining. Leonard's 3-pointer ended the drought and helped seal the victory for the Spurs.
San Antonio used a balanced attack in the third quarter. The Spurs had seven players score in the period, with Leonard and Manu Ginobili going a combined 4 for 7 in scoring six points apiece.
TIP-INS
Pistons: Detroit is winless in five road games this season. . Drummond had his 120th career double-double. . Former Spurs Aron Baynes, Beno Udrih and Boban Marjanovic are all reserves for the Spurs. Marjanovic did not play, but received a rousing ovation when he was shown on the video screen. A huge fan favorite during his one season in San Antonio, Marjanovic was showered with shouts of "Boban!" in the final minutes.
Spurs: Gasol's previous season high was 20 points against Miami on Oct. 30. Aldridge did not play in that game for rest. . Spurs G Danny Green sat out Friday's game for rest after playing 26 minutes in his season debut Wednesday. Green missed the team's first six games with a strained left quadriceps. . San Antonio, which plays Saturday in Houston, is 3-1 in back-to-back games this season. The Spurs has won both road games.
UP NEXT
Pistons: At Denver on Saturday.
Spurs: At Houston on Saturday.