NBA: Spurs stretch unbeaten home streak, Jazz close in on play-offs, Raptors win in overtime

(REUTERS) - LaMarcus Aldridge and Kawhi Leonard scored 22 points apiece to lead five San Antonio players in double figures, as the Spurs turned a tight game into a runaway with a dominating third quarter and beat the Portland Trail Blazers 118-100 on Thursday to remain unbeaten at home.

San Antonio led by two points at half-time but separated from the Trail Blazers in the third quarter, scoring the first 10 points and opening as much as a 19-point lead. Leonard, who was limited to six points in the first half when he took three shots, scored 11 points in the Spurs' uprising and the quarter ended with San Antonio holding a 95-78 advantage to make the final period all but academic.

The Spurs (58-10) are 34-0 at the AT&T Centre and have also won a franchise-best 43 straight regular-season games at home since a loss to Cleveland in March of last season.

Elsewhere, rookie Trey Lyles scored 17 points off the bench and Utah won their fourth straight game by obliterating Phoenix.

Utah improved to 33-35 and moved within one game of idle Dallas and Houston for the final play-off spot in the West despite playing without leading scorer Gordon Hayward for the second straight game.

Phoenix's point total was the lowest for an Utah opponent all season. The previous low was 71 by Philadelphia on Oct 30. It was also the largest win of the season points-wise for Utah, whose previous biggest margin of victory was 29.

Meanwhile, Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan scored 28 points apiece and Toronto pulled away from Indiana in overtime.

DeRozan missed a potential game-winning shot at the regulation buzzer, but Lowry and DeRozan scored nine quick overtime points, helping the Raptors take a 94-88 lead with 1min 17sec remaining.

Indiana slipped to 1-7 in overtime games. The Pacers got 18 points apiece from Paul George and George Hill, but George was only seven of 24 from the field, including only one of 9 from three-point range.

Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.