Spurs’ Gregg Popovich ties NBA record for coaching victories with one franchise

Gregg Popovich tied the NBA record for the most coaching wins with a single franchise, earning his 1,127th in the San Antonio Spurs’ 102-86 victory over the visiting Philadelphia 76ers on Thursday night.

Popovich matched Jerry Sloan of Utah for the league mark as San Antonio had 15 steals and forced 23 turnovers, both season highs, in winning its 12th straight at home over Philadelphia and 11th straight overall against the 76ers.

Kawhi Leonard scored 19 points and Dewayne Dedmon had 13 points and 10 rebounds for his second double-double for the Spurs.

The frontcourts for both teams were depleted, with San Antonio missing LaMarcus Aldridge and Pau Gasol, and Philadelphia without Joel Embiid, Nerlens Noel and Robert Covington. Aldridge and Embiid were both late scratches with minor knee ailments.

The 76ers’ frontcourt got 25 points and 10 rebounds from Ersan Ilyasova, and Dario Saric added 14 points.

Atlanta 113, at Houston 108: Dwight Howard scored 24 points and grabbed 23 rebounds in his first game back in Houston since signing with Atlanta in the offseason, leading the Hawks past the Rockets.

Tim Hardaway Jr. had 33 points for Atlanta, including a driving dunk with less than a minute left that gave Atlanta a three-point lead.

The Hawks trailed by as many as 20 points and entered the fourth quarter down 13 before Howard led a late comeback.

James Harden had 41 points, eight assists and eight rebounds, but the Rockets struggled to make shots down the stretch. Clint Capela had 22 points and nine rebounds.

Howard, who spent the last three seasons in Houston, received a mostly warm welcome by the Toyota Center crowd, with some light, scattered boos.