Last season's MVP candidate made his season debut Tuesday after missing the first 27 games of the season because of right quadriceps tendinopathy. He was limited to 13 points in 16 minutes in a 95-89 loss to the Mavericks.
Leonard is coming off a season in which he averaged career highs in points (25.5) and assists (3.5), along with 5.8 rebounds and 1.8 steals. LaMarcus Aldridge and Rudy Gay have stepped up in Leonard's absence and were once again leading San Antonio Tuesday with 23 and 21 points, respectively.
San Antonio was a quarter away from a five-game winning streak but shot 29 percent and were outscored 28-20 in the fourth quarter.
Once the talk of the Eastern Conference, the Pistons is in danger of dropping below .500 and out of playoff contention after losing its seventh straight game Tuesday against the Nuggets.
Reggie Jackson was the only Pistons starter to reach double-figure points with 12 in the 103-84 loss, which was doomed from the beginning. Despite playing at home, Detroit turned the ball over eight times in the first nine minutes.
Jamal Murray scored 28 points to lead the Nuggets (15-12), which is currently fifth in the Western Conference.
STUD OF THE NIGHT
Kristaps Porzingis had a big night with 35 points, 11 rebounds and five blocks to lift the Knicks to a 113-109 overtime win over the Lakers. He became the first player in NBA history with 35 points, 10 rebounds, five blocks and five made 3-pointers in a game.
DUD OF THE NIGHT
Trailing by three to the Nets with eight seconds remaining, the Wizards called timeout to advance the ball past halfcourt, but Tomas Satoransky was unable to inbound the ball in time, drawing a 5-second violation. Brooklyn sealed a 103-98 win with two free throws.
HIGHLIGHT
LeBron James scored 25 points and tied a career-high with 17 assists in a 123-114 win over the Hawks, which currently owns the worst record in the league (6-21).
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