Defence is usually an aspect that San Antonio rounds into form as the year progresses but through their first 17 games the Spurs are ahead of schedule, a sign of trouble for the rest of the NBA.
Forward Kawhi Leonard poured in 22 points and six San Antonio players scored in double-figures as the Spurs waylaid the Atlanta Hawks 108-88 to remain undefeated at home.
Leonard, who did most of his damage with 15 points in the first half, led the Spurs in scoring for the sixth straight game. San Antonio (14-3) is 9-0 at the AT&T Center this season and has won 11 of its past 12 contests overall. They are entrenched atop the NBA Western Conference's Southwest Division.
The Spurs have limited opponents to 88 points or less in 11 times this year and to an average of 83.4 points per game in their current five-game winning streak.
"We usually build as a team defensively, but this year we've started out very aggressively," Spurs reserve guard Manu Ginobili said.
"We've always tried to play defence like this, and we are running back into transition better. We are much improved - now we've got to sustain it."
Forward LaMarcus Aldridge and reserve guard Patty Mills added 13 points apiece for San Antonio, while Ginobili scored 12 points, guard Tony Parker hit for 11 points and forward Tim Duncan tallied 10 points and grabbed a season-high 18 rebounds.
Atlanta (11-8, second place in the Eastern Conference's Southeast Division) was led by reserve forward Mike Scott's 12 points.
"The defence was the key," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "Tony [Parker] and Danny Green were great defensively on [Atlanta guards Jeff] Teague and [Kyle] Korver and that really set the tone for us. Those guys are really hard to guard, but they took the challenge tonight."
Atlanta led 30-25 before the Spurs took command. Ginobili scored all eight of his first-half points in a 4:02 stretch that helped San Antonio move to a 41-32 advantage that grew to 54-37 by halftime. The Spurs outscored Atlanta 31-12 in the second quarter.
"At times we had good looks and you have to take advantage of your good looks against a team like the Spurs," Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer said.
"They pressure the ball well, run you off the three-point line and rebound well. They do a lot of the little things to be one of the top defensive teams in the league."
Raptors sink Wizards
Guard Cory Joseph sank the winning three-pointer with 0.3 seconds remaining as the Toronto Raptors, courtesy of Kyle Lowry's 27 points, beat the Washington Wizards.
Despite a horrid shooting performance from guard John Wall and no field goals in the final 4:23, the Wizards (7-7) led 82-81 with five seconds remaining.
Wall, who finished 6-of-25 from the field, then missed two free throws, giving Toronto possession with three seconds left where guard DeMar DeRozan drove to the right baseline and fed an open Joseph in the left corner.
Guard Bradley Beal had 20 points for the Wizards, while Wall added 18 points and center Marcin Gortat finished with 16 points and 10 rebounds.
LeBron makes clutch shot to win
LeBron James' driving hook shot in the lane with one second left gave the Cleveland Cavaliers a 90-88 victory over the Brooklyn Nets.
James and Kevin Love both scored 26 points as the Cavs remained unbeaten at home (9-0), though Brooklyn's Jarrett Jack's desperation heave at the buzzer from well beyond half court gave them some concerns as the ball hit the back of the rim.
Brook Lopez scored 22 points and grabbed nine rebounds and Joe Johnson had 17 points for the Nets, who have lost four of their last five.
Warriors extend streak to 18 wins
Small forward Brandon Rush buried three three-pointers in a third-quarter runaway as the Golden State Warriors recorded an 18th straight season-opening win, 120-101 over their rival Sacramento Kings.
Point guard Stephen Curry dropped in three three-pointers on a 19-point night and power forward Draymond Green recorded the franchise's first back-to-back triple-double in 51 years with 13 points, 11 rebounds and 12 assists.
Golden State tied the 2007-08 Houston Rockets with a 22nd consecutive regular-season win dating back to last season, the third-longest streak in NBA history.
The last Warriors player to record triple-doubles in consecutive games had been Hall of Fame center Wilt Chamberlain in 1964.
Lakers lose again
Guards Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum combined for 57 points to lead the Portland Trail Blazers past the Los Angeles Lakers 108-96 at Moda Center.
Lillard scored 29 points and McCollum added 28 for the Trail Blazers (7-10), who beat the Lakers for the second time this season.
Guard Kobe Bryant scored 21 points while guard Jordan Clarkson had 19 for the Lakers (2-13), who lost their fifth straight game.
Nuggets lose after horrid third-quarter
The Denver Nuggets could not buy a basket in the third quarter of their game against the Dallas, letting a 52-48 halftime lead dissolve as the Mavericks outscored them 25-5 to flip the game in their favor for a 92-81 victory.
Denver's five points set a Dallas franchise record for the lowest total in a quarter by an opponent.
The Nuggets, outscored 16-0 in the opening eight minutes while going 0 of 15 from the floor, ended the quarter 2 of 19 shooting and gave up nine turnovers.
Jazz beat Pelicans
The Utah Jazz used a balanced effort to neutralize a big game of 36 points from Anthony Davis and post a 101-87 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans.
Reserve guard Alec Burks scored 21 points to lead the Jazz. Burks, who also had five rebounds and four assists, scored nine points in the decisive fourth quarter for Utah.
Small forward Gordon Hayward scored 17 points, shooting guard Rodney Hood added 16 points and power forward Trevor Booker contributed 13 points, 15 rebounds and three blocks.
