Spurs stop Bucks’ win streak behind Duncan

SAN ANTONIO — Tim Duncan had 24 points and 12 rebounds, and the San Antonio Spurs halted the Milwaukee Bucks’ three-game winning streak with a 112-98 victory Monday night.

Matt Bonner had 23 points off the bench and the Spurs won consecutive games for only the second time this season. They also finally took advantage of a big night from Duncan, having previously been 0-4 when the All-Star scored 20 or more.

Ersan Illyasova led Milwaukee with 20 points. Brandon Jennings scored 12, held well below his rookie-leading average of 25.3 points per game.

Michael Redd scored four points in his first action in nine games. The former All-Star strained a tendon in his left knee when he went up for a dunk during Milwaukee’s first game of the season.

Bonner was 6 of 8 from behind the arc, matching his career-high for 3-pointers in a game.

George Hill had 14 points off the bench for the Spurs, who blew out their opponent for the second time in as many games. Five of San Antonio’s six wins have come when scoring 100 points or more.

The Spurs (6-6) climbed back to .500 during what has been one of the worst starts to a season in the Duncan era. They play four of their next five at home.

Hakim Warrick scored 15 points and Carlos Delfino had 11 for Milwaukee. The Bucks entered the game as the top rebounding team in the league but were bullied on the boards 46-29.

Redd played 11 minutes off the bench and showed a predictable bit of rust while playing for the first time in four weeks. His first shot was a jumper that badly missed the rim, and he finished 1 of 3 from the field and made just one of six free throws.

Bucks coach Scott Skiles said Redd returned probably a little sooner than even he expected. But the 10th-year guard fared well after getting through his first contact practice Sunday.

Milwaukee lost for the second time in nine games as the Bucks (9-3) came to San Antonio off to their best start since the 2001-02 season

Notes: Spurs G Manu Ginobili is said to be making progress on recovering from his strained left groin, but coach Gregg Popovich offered no firm timetable for his return. Ginobili has not played since Nov. 18. … Bucks C Kurt Thomas, the only one of three Spurs players Milwaukee kept in the Jefferson deal this summer, had six points and five rebounds.