SAN ANTONIO — On a team known for collaboration on offense, Kawhi Leonard has become a breakout star.
The San Antonio Spurs forward scored 22 points, including 13 straight by his team in the third quarter, during a 101-89 victory over the Boston Celtics on Friday night.
San Antonio (43-25) won nine of its last 11 games.
Thirteen players have led the Spurs in scoring this season. But Leonard has done that in six of the last 10 games.
Leonard leads the Spurs in scoring and the NBA in steals. He made three of them against Boston, turning one into a fast-break dunk during his third-quarter spree. That’s one way Leonard scores outside the flow of the Spurs’ offense.
“Any time he gets going like that, that’s a difficult thing,” Boston coach Brad Stevens said.
Center Tiago Splitter had a big game for the Spurs with a season-best 18 points. He converted 8 of 10 shots from the field. Guard Tony Parker had 15 points and seven assists, but he committed six turnovers.
Guard Evan Turner led Boston with 17 points, including 11 during a fourth-quarter Celtics rally. Guard Avery Bradley scored 16.
Celtics guard Marcus Smart was ejected in the fourth quarter, receiving a Flagrant 2 foul after punching Spurs forward Matt Bonner in the groin. Stevens called it “an unacceptable play” by Smart. But Smart said it was a “freak accident” as he was trying to fight through a screen.
“He just happened to jump in the way as I was trying to get through,” Smart said.
That wasn’t the only drama in the game. After the Spurs built a 25-point lead early in the fourth quarter, Boston made a 21-3 push, slashing the deficit to seven with 4:37 remaining.
Parker and Splitter responded with consecutive baskets to stem the comeback.
Stevens cited a difference between the veteran Spurs and the young Celtics.
“We did it for three and a half minutes, and they did it for 48,” Stevens said.
Boston (30-38) lost its second straight game but won 10 of its last 15 to become a contender for the playoffs in the Eastern Conference.
During this stretch, the Celtics have defeated two of the top teams in the NBA — Atlanta and Memphis — as well as playoff contenders New Orleans and Phoenix.
Spurs coach Gregg Popovich is not surprised by this development, having followed Stevens’ career since he was the head coach at Butler University. Stevens led Butler to consecutive NCAA Final Fours in 2010 and 2011 before joining the Celtics in 2013.
“Whenever there was a Butler game, I always tried to watch it,” said Popovich, who has shared his knowledge of the NBA with Stevens. “Everyone in basketball knew a long time ago that he’s a heck of a coach, a clever guy and a good teacher.”
Popovich’s Spurs taught the lessons on Friday, making assists on 19 of 21 baskets in the first half while taking a 56-42 lead at the break.
The Spurs consistently found open teammates cutting to the basket, enabling them to score 22 points in the paint during the half.
San Antonio finished with 31 assists.
“That’s a good sign,” Popovich said. “That’s the way we have to play to win. We’re not a one-on-one team.”
The Spurs’ proficiency will get tested over the next five games as they maneuver for better playoff position while facing Atlanta, Dallas twice, Oklahoma City and Memphis.
“We’ve gotta end strong,” forward Tim Duncan said. “These next ones are going to be tough for us. But those are the kind of teams that up our intensity. I think they are great games for us, a gauge for where we are.”