DALLAS — DeMarcus Cousins and Rajon Rondo each recorded double-doubles and the Sacramento Kings won for the first time in Dallas in more than 13 years with a 104-101 victory Thursday.
Cousins, who had 22 points, 13 rebounds and five assists, was 13 years old the last time the Kings won on Dallas’ home floor Feb. 27, 2003. Rondo, who finished with 18 points, 12 assists and three steals, was still three years removed from his NBA debut with the Boston Celtics.
One player who was there in 2003 when Dallas started its 22-game home streak over the Kings is Mavericks star Dirk Nowitzki. He hasn’t had many performances against Sacramento as poor as the one he had Thursday with 16 points — including two at the buzzer — on 7-of-16 shooting and 0 of 5 from 3-point range.
The loss ended Dallas’ season-long six-game homestand on a sour note following Tuesday’s blowout of the Orlando Magic. The Mavs (33-29) won four games on the homestand, but with the loss to the Kings (25-35) fell behind Portland into seventh place in the Western Conference playoff race.
Spurs 94, Pelicans 86
NEW ORLEANS — Kawhi Leonard scored a game-high 30 points and LaMarcus Aldridge added 26 while sparking a 16-2 run in the final 4:12 to lift the Spurs to a comeback victory over the Pelicans.
New Orleans led 84-78 with 4:29 remaining when Dante Cunningham hit a wide open 3-pointer from the right baseline. Aldridge scored six of the Spurs’ next eight points, and Leonard’s 15-footer from the right baseline tied the game at 86 with 2:37 left.
Leonard closed out the spurt with a 3-pointer with 35 seconds remaining as the Spurs improved to 52-9.
The Pelicans (23-37) were led by Eric Gordon, who scored 23 points, and Anthony Davis, who had 17 points and 13 rebounds.
Heat 108, Suns 92
MIAMI — Dwyane Wade scored 27 points to lead the Heat over the struggling Suns.
Goran Dragic finished with 25 points and Luol Deng scored 12 points for the Heat (35-26), who improved to 6-2 since the All-Star break.
Devin Booker scored a career-high 34 points for the Suns (15-46), who have lost 15 of 16 overall and 17 straight on the road. The road losing streak matches Phoenix’s all-time record set Jan. 4-March 13, 1974.