Spurs storm back vs. Timberwolves for 105-91 win

MINNEAPOLIS -- Kawhi Leonard is getting used to his role as the San Antonio Spurs' go-to guy.

The Minnesota Timberwolves found out on Tuesday night just how unstoppable Leonard can be when he puts his foot on the gas.

Leonard scored 31 points and the Spurs improved to 13-0 on the road this season with a 105-91 victory.

Leonard hit 11 of 15 shots after not scoring at all in the first quarter and Patty Mills scored 15 points off the bench for the Spurs (18-4), who played without Tony Parker after he bruised his left knee against Milwaukee on Wednesday night. San Antonio overcame a slow start to shoot 52.7 percent.

"Now I have game experience under my belt," Leonard said. "That's what you need to get better, get comfortable -- see the ball go through the net in the game."

The Spurs moved past the 1969-70 New York Knicks to take sole possession of the second-best road start to begin a season in NBA history. The Golden State Warriors started 14-0 last year.

"Maybe there's just a little extra focus when we go into someone else's arena," Mills said. "It's hard to put your finger on it."

Zach LaVine scored 25 points for the Timberwolves. Karl-Anthony Towns had 11 points and 14 rebounds, but shot just 3 of 16.

"You have to eliminate all the ways in which you beat yourself first," Wolves coach Tom Thibodeau said. "So we have to understand that, we have to improve in that area."

With seven new faces on the roster and Tim Duncan no longer there, it's been an adjustment for the Spurs this season. They haven't been their usual precise selves, but here they are with the second-best record in the league, tied in the win column with the Warriors (18-3).

The Timberwolves erased a seven-point deficit with less than a minute to play to beat Charlotte on Saturday night, but Leonard buried a pair of 3-pointers to end the threat Tuesday.

TIP-INS

Spurs: Manu Ginobili got the night off. ... LaMarcus Aldridge had just six points on 3-for-8 shooting and did not score until early in the third quarter. ... San Antonio shot just 29 percent and scored a season-low 19 points in the first quarter.

Timberwolves: Andrew Wiggins was quiet for the Wolves as well. He scored 11 points on 5-for-12 shooting. ... Thibodeau received a technical foul for arguing with officials in the second quarter. ... PG Kris Dunn played well with 15 points on 6-for-7 shooting.

LINE CHANGE

The Spurs starters got off to a terrible start after a narrow victory over the Bucks the previous night, so coach Gregg Popovich pulled all five starters with 7:30 to play in the first quarter and a 12-3 deficit. The bench unit of Mills, Kyle Anderson, Dewayne Dedmon, David Lee and Jonathon Simmons energized the team with a 14-3 run to get them back in the game.

"They're all together," Wiggins said. "If one person moves, the other person moves with them. It's like they're all tied together."

PARKER'S ABSENCE

Parker was injured when he knocked knees with a Bucks defender in the third quarter. The Spurs said he was listed as day to day, but Popovich said after the game he was "probably 50-50" to play Thursday against Chicago. Rather than the elevate veteran Mills to the starting lineup, Popovich wanted to keep the second unit intact and so he gave Nico Laprovittola, a rookie from Argentina, his third career start. Laprovittola scored 10 points in 22 minutes.

"We knew Tony was going to miss some games," Popovich said of the team's mindset going into the season. "To have another person that has the courage and the experience to play that position is important."

UP NEXT

Spurs: San Antonio heads to Chicago for a game against the Bulls on Thursday in Gasol's first game there since he left for the Spurs in free agency.

Timberwolves: Minnesota faces former coach Dwane Casey and the Raptors in Toronto on Thursday.