SAN ANTONIO // The San Antonio Spurs have adjusted just fine after a busy offseason. Just ask the Oklahoma City Thunder, who saw the difference while failing to hold another fourth-quarter lead.
Kawhi Leonard scored 26 points and San Antonio beat Oklahoma City 93-85 on Saturday night for its 41st straight home victory, the third-longest streak in NBA history.
“We’re a humble ball club,” Leonard said. “We just want to get better as each game goes as the season goes on. So, it doesn’t matter who we’re playing. It’s just about us and are we going to execute, are we going to go out and have energy and play defence. We fought through the whole game tonight.”
The Spurs made it 32 straight wins to open this season at home, where they haven’t lost in the regular season since last March. Only Golden State, which has won 48 in a row, and the Chicago teams that won 44 straight in 1995-96 had longer streaks.
The Spurs did so by avenging a season-opening loss to the Thunder. LaMarcus Aldridge, who scored 24 points, was held to 11 on 4-for-12 shooting on Oct. 28 in his first game with San Antonio after joining the team as a free agent.
“I didn’t know my role,” Aldridge said. “I was trying to find shots. I think I took like seven shots that game. It was very uncomfortable. Out there tonight it was night and day for sure. I feel more comfortable out there.”
He and Leonard have teamed to give the Spurs an All-Star front court that has led them in scoring in nine straight games.
Tim Duncan had 11 points for San Antonio, which extended its lead over Oklahoma City (44-22) to 12 games for the second seed in the Western Conference.
The Thunder saw another lead in the fourth quarter vanish a day after falling 99-96 at home to Minnesota when Ricky Rubio’s 3-pointer with two seconds remaining capped a late rally.
“They hit shots down the stretch,” said Kevin Durant, who finished with 28 points. “Kawhi Leonard hit a few tough ones. Danny Green hit that big 3 in the corner. They hit shots in the fourth. We didn’t give them nothing. Both teams worked for everything they got tonight. It was a slugfest.”
The Spurs (56-10) rallied to extend their franchise best start, trailing entering the fourth quarter for just the fourth time in 32 home games this season. Leonard scored nine in the final period.
David West ignited the rally, scoring six straight points to tie the game at 72 with 9 minutes remaining. The veteran forward shouted encouragement to the team after his second basket and closed the run by rushing in to tip in his own missed short jumper.
West finished with eight points.
Leonard continued the momentum, going 4 for 7 in the fourth quarter. Following a 3-pointer by Green, Leonard crossed over Andre Roberson at the 3-point line and drained a 3 that gave San Antonio an 82-76 lead with 6:30 remaining.
“Three-point shots just give the team energy, especially in the fourth quarter,” Leonard said.
Russell Westbrook finished with 19 points on 5-for-16 shooting and had nine turnovers.
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What are the GCSE grade equivalents?
- Grade 9 = above an A*
- Grade 8 = between grades A* and A
- Grade 7 = grade A
- Grade 6 = just above a grade B
- Grade 5 = between grades B and C
- Grade 4 = grade C
- Grade 3 = between grades D and E
- Grade 2 = between grades E and F
- Grade 1 = between grades F and G
More coverage from the Future Forum
WHAT IS GRAPHENE?
It was discovered in 2004, when Russian-born Manchester scientists Andrei Geim and Kostya Novoselov were experimenting with sticky tape and graphite, the material used as lead in pencils.
Placing the tape on the graphite and peeling it, they managed to rip off thin flakes of carbon. In the beginning they got flakes consisting of many layers of graphene. But when they repeated the process many times, the flakes got thinner.
By separating the graphite fragments repeatedly, they managed to create flakes that were just one atom thick. Their experiment led to graphene being isolated for the very first time.
In 2010, Geim and Novoselov were awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics.
The biog
Born: High Wycombe, England
Favourite vehicle: One with solid axels
Favourite camping spot: Anywhere I can get to.
Favourite road trip: My first trip to Kazakhstan-Kyrgyzstan. The desert they have over there is different and the language made it a bit more challenging.
Favourite spot in the UAE: Al Dhafra. It’s unique, natural, inaccessible, unspoilt.
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
Race card
6.30pm: Maiden (TB) Dh 82,500 (Dirt) 1.600m
7.05pm: Maiden (TB) Dh 82,500 (D) 2,000m
7.50pm: Handicap (TB) Dh 82,500 (D) 1,600m
8.15pm: The Garhoud Sprint Listed (TB) Dh 132,500 (D) 1,200m
8.50pm: The Entisar Listed (TB) Dh 132,500 (D) 2,000m
9.25pm: Conditions (TB) Dh 120,000 (D) 1,400m
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
RESULTS
2.15pm Maiden (PA) Dh40,000 (Dirt) 1,200m
Winner Shawall, Abdul Aziz Al Balushi (jockey), Majed Al Jahouri (trainer)
2.45pm Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 (D) 1,200m
Winner Anna Bella Aa, Fabrice Veron, Abdelkhir Adam
3.15pm Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 (D) 1,200m
Winner AF Thayer, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
3.45pm Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 (D) 1,700m
Winner Taajer, Fabrice Veron, Eric Lemartinel
4.15pm The Ruler of Sharjah Cup – Prestige (PA) Dh250,000 (D) 1,700m
Winner Jawaal, Jim Crowley, Majed Al Jahouri
4.45pm Handicap (TB) Dh40,000 (D) 2,000m
Winner Maqaadeer, Jim Crowley, Doug Watson
NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
DIVINE%20INTERVENTOIN
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Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
