Charlotte 98, San Antonio 109

Steve Novak scored 19 points and made five 3-point baskets as the San Antonio Spurs cruised to a 109-98 victory over the visiting Charlotte Bobcats on Saturday.

Gary Neal added 15 points and George Hill scored 12 for San Antonio (56-13).

Gerald Henderson scored 19 and Boris Diaw added 16 for Charlotte (28-41), which suffered its third straight loss and ninth in 11 games to fall 1½ games behind Indiana for the eighth playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

The Spurs were 17-of-34 from 3-point range, rested veteran forward Tim Duncan and liberally substituted while running away with the contest. San Antonio held the Bobcats to 13 first-quarter points and led 43-24 midway through the second quarter.

The margin reached 26 after Novak hit back-to-back 3-pointers late in the third quarter. Charlotte cut it to 11 with a 10-0 run in the final quarter, but Richard Jefferson hit back-to-back 3-pointers to push the cushion back to 16 with just over three minutes remaining.

Manu Ginobili with 11 points was the only San Antonio starter to score in double figures.

Charlotte played without leading scorer Stephen Jackson, who has a hamstring injury.

• San Antonio will play their next game at home against Golden State. The Spurs have a W/L % of .782 after a win and .929 after a loss.
• Charlotte will play their next game at home against Indiana. The Bobcats have a W/L % of .393 after a win and .415 after a loss.