Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant (right) tries to get past Toronto Raptors' DeMar DeRozan during their NBA game  in Toronto yesterday. Lakers lost 93-102. (Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports)

DPA/Los Angeles


The surging San Antonio Spurs rested a pair of starters, then, went on to bury the woeful Philadelphia 76ers. LaMarcus Aldridge scored a season-high 24 points, and the visiting Spurs spanked the league-worst Sixers 119-68.
With Kawhi Leonard out with stomach problems, and coach Gregg Popovich resting veterans Tim Duncan and Argentine Manu Ginobili, the Spurs still managed to set a franchise-record for their biggest blowout victory, while handing the Sixers their most lopsided home loss ever.
“We really executed well down to the last guy,” Popovich said. “The competitiveness was there for the whole 48 minutes. I think it was just a case of us having a really good night and they had a really bad night.”
Serbian rookie centre Boban Marjanovic netted all 18 of his points in 17 second-half minutes, while fellow backup Jonathon Simmons added 15, as the Spurs (18-4) shot a sizzling 62 per cent for their 16th win in the last 18 games. San Antonio didn’t take the Sixers (1-21) lightly. Instead, the NBA’s second-best team behind undefeated Golden State executed brilliantly and outclassed the cellar-dwellers.
The Spurs closed the first quarter on a 26-6 run to go up 37-17, and outscored their hosts 32-12 in the second quarter to take a comfortable 65-29 halftime cushion.
Elsewhere...
Dallas Mavericks 104, New York Knicks 97: German juggernaut Dirk Nowitzki dropped in 25 points, Deron Williams added 20 and the visiting Mavericks (13-9) held off a late rush to slip past the Knicks. Latvian rookie centre Kristaps Porzingis topped New York (10-12) with 23 points, including a pair of triples late in the fourth quarter, cutting a 23-point deficit to 101-97 with 43 seconds left before coming up short.
Washington Wizards 114, Miami Heat 103: John Wall scored 26 points despite a sore knee, Gary Neal added 21, including a game-sealing triple with 70 seconds remaining, and the visiting Wizards (9-10) beat the Heat. Dwyane Wade had 26 points for Miami (12-7) which lost despite shooting a sizzling 59 per cent.
Toronto Raptors 102, LA Lakers 93: Kyle Lowry scored 27 points, Terrence Ross added 22, helping the host Raptors (13-9) end a three-game home slide after beating the West-worst Lakers. Kobe Bryant tossed in 21 points for the Lakers (3-18) in his final game in Toronto after the 17-time All-Star and five-time NBA champion announced his retirement at the end of this season.
Phoenix Suns 103, Chicago Bulls 101: Bosnian Mirza Teletovic grabbed an offensive rebound and hit the game-winning 10-foot jumper with three-tenths of a second left to cap a 20-point effort, rallying the visiting Suns past the Bulls to stop a four-game slide.  
Milwaukee Bucks 90, Portland Trail Blazers 88: Greg Monroe hit the go-ahead layup with five seconds left to cap a 16-point- 12-rebound effort, and John Henson blocked Meyers Leonard’s potential game-winning close-in shot, helping the Bucks (9-13) escape the visiting Trail Blazers (9-13) paced by Damian Lillard’s 23 points.
LA Clippers 110, Minnesota Timberwolves 106: DeAndre Jordan had 20 points with 12 rebounds, while Chris Paul netted 14 after missing the previous two games with a rib strain, and the visiting Clippers (12-9) won for the fifth time in the last six games overall after beating the T-Wolves for the 14th consecutive time. Zach LaVine led Minnesota (8-12) with a game-high 21 points.
Charlotte Hornets 104, Detroit Pistons 84: Cody Zeller tallied 20 points, Marvin Williams added 14 with 12 rebounds, and the Hornets (12-8) won for the seventh time in the last nine outings after dropping the visiting Pistons (12-10).
Boston Celtics 111, New Orleans Pelicans 93: Isaiah Thomas scored 22 points, Kelly Olynyk added 21 off the bench, and Jared Sullinger snared a career-high tying 20 rebounds, as the visiting Celtics (12-9) pounded the sliding Pelicans (5-16).