KAWHI LEONARD had 20 points and the San Antonio Spurs wore down the short-handed Clippers 108-87 Tuesday night to match the second-longest home winning streak to open a season in NBA history.

    LaMarcus Aldridge added 17 points for San Antonio, which has won four straight.

    “With us, when Kawhi is on the court or Kawhi and LaMarcus (it changes the game),” Spurs guard Manu Ginobili said. “Today (the bench) could change the game at that point, and it makes us feel good.”

    San Antonio won its 33rd straight home game this season, tying Orlando’s start to the 1995-96 season. The Chicago Bulls set the league mark with a 37-game home winning streak to begin that same season during their record 72-victory campaign.

    The Clippers’ reserves, who were without injured Paul Pierce, were outscored 51-20 by the Spurs’ bench.

    “The first unit did everything in their power,” Los Angeles guard Austin Rivers said. “Our second unit, we didn’t play well tonight. I don’t know what to tell you. It’s disappointing because obviously everybody in the second unit feels like it’s our fault. Whether that’s true or not, that’s the way we feel.”

    Los Angeles (42-24), still missing Blake Griffin, lost its second straight despite getting 67 points from its starters. Chris Paul scored 22 and DeAndre Jordan had 16 points and 14 rebounds.

    The Clippers had won three of four regular-season games against the Spurs. Los Angeles also took two of three in San Antonio to beat the Spurs in a seven-game series to open the playoffs last year.

    San Antonio’s bench ensured a continuation of the team’s home winning streak, which is now at 42 games dating to March 2015.

    Patty Mills had 15 points and Ginobili added 13 off the bench for the Spurs (57-10).

    Spurs backup David West tipped in missed shots on successive possessions and then delivered a hard screen on Rivers that freed Mills for a jumper from the top of the key for an 82-72 lead with 9 minutes remaining. West finished with eight points.

    “Dave was a big-time spark off the bench,” Aldridge said. “I thought Patty brought some juice and some energy to us tonight, too. They definitely carried us down the stretch.”

    (SD-Agencies)