The San Antonio Spurs were looking to tighten their grip on third place in the Western Conference as they visited the Sacramento Kings.

The Black and Silver came in three game behind the streaking LA Clippers, and half-a-contest in back of Golden State.

With those two teams showing no signs of slowing down, Pau Gasol would provide a dominant presence in the low post as the men from the Alamo City looked to stay in the thick of the race.

The Spaniard's 24 points help San Antonio eke out a five-point win. LaMarcus Aldridge added 21 points for the Spurs while Kawhi Leonard chipped in 20. DeMarcus Cousins led Sactown with 26 points and 17 rebounds. That's a big victory because Memphis ended the Clippers seven-game winning streak, while Golden State topped Toronto for their fifth straight triumph.

The top three are now separated by just one game. In the East, Cleveland rested LeBron James, and lost to Indy by 10. So Atlanta's sixth straight win means there's a tie for the first place there.