Duncan steals the Thunder in Spurs' fourth win in a row

Los Angeles:  The San Antonio Spurs have raced to the NBA's best record with an improved offence. On Saturday, they showed the Oklahoma City Thunder they can still rely on Tim Duncan and their defence.

Duncan had 21 points and nine rebounds in and the host Spurs surrendered their lowest total of the season in a 101-74 rout of the Thunder, their fourth straight win.

George Hill scored 16 points for the Spurs (29-4). San Antonio shut down the dangerous duo of Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook and held Oklahoma City (23-12) to its lowest output this season.

"We got a long way to go if we want to be as good as those guys. We can learn from the Spurs," Durant said.

"It's tough guarding Westbrook and Durant," Hill said. "They have a lot of things they can do, but I think today everyone was mentally tough."

In winning four championships from 1999-2007, the Spurs were usually in the middle of the pack in offence and near the top in defence. This season, they are fifth in offence — even with Duncan averaging a career-low 13.3 points — and tied for 11th in defence.

But against the Thunder, the Spurs reverted to their proven formula. Duncan made 10-of-15 shots in his best game since scoring 28 points vs. Denver on December 16.

Meanwhile, the defence limited Durant and Westbrook — the NBA's highest-scoring tandem at 50.6 points — to 24 points on 10-of-26 shooting. Durant scored 16 points and Westbrook eight, both season lows.

Meanwhile, Earl Boykins scored 26 points as the host Bucks swept the season series from the shorthanded Mavericks, who were without injured forwards Dirk Nowitzki (knee) and wasted a career-high 29 points by Puerto Rico's Jose Barea in their third straight loss.

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