Duncan Helps Spurs Gain on Minnesota

Tim Duncan, nursing a sore left knee, had 22 points and 10 rebounds in his first game as a reserve, leading the Spurs to a 106-86 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Thursday night at San Antonio.

Duncan, who missed nine of the Spurs’ last 10 games because of a left knee injury, had started all 506 games of his NBA career before Thursday. He played 27 minutes, shooting only six for 15 from the floor but making 10 of 15 free throws.

The victory trimmed the Timberwolves’ lead in the Midwest Division to 1 1/2 games over the Spurs, who had lost two in a row. Minnesota is also only one game ahead of the Lakers for the second-best record in the Western Conference.

Wearing a brace on his left knee, Duncan entered to a standing ovation midway through the first quarter and San Antonio leading, 10-6. He missed both of his shots and was back on the bench with ice on his knee to start the second.

Duncan said his knee, hurt in a late February game, felt good, but he was “kind of anxious to see what it’ll do in the morning.” The Spurs’ next game is Saturday against Boston.

Kevin Garnett led Minnesota with 28 points and 12 rebounds.

Detroit 89, New Jersey 71 -- Chauncey Billups had 20 points and the Pistons’ sub-70 streak ended, though their defensive dominance did not at East Rutherford, N.J.

Detroit had set an NBA record in holding its previous five opponents under 70 points. Only a tip-in by the Nets’ Aaron Williams with 1.1 seconds left prevented it from happening again, though New Jersey committed an intentional foul with 13.6 seconds left to get the extra offensive possession, Williams’ pumping his fist after the tip-in.

Richard Jefferson had 19 points for New Jersey, which shot only 35%, committed 17 turnovers and was outrebounded, 47-37.

Meanwhile, Alonzo Mourning attended his first Nets’ game since retiring and undergoing a kidney transplant in December.

Seattle 97, Memphis 94 -- Vladimir Radmanovic and Ray Allen had 19 points each to help the SuperSonics prevail despite the Grizzlies’ 14-2 fourth-quarter surge at Memphis, Tenn.

Pau Gasol had 21 points and 15 rebounds for the Grizzlies. He also missed a desperation three-pointer with two seconds left.