NEW YORK -- Halfway through his first season with the San Antonio Spurs, David Lee describes his team as a "punch in, punch out kind of team."

In other words, the names of the active players are inconsequential, it's about those who play taking care of things.

That was especially the case Monday night when the Spurs played without Kawhi Leonard, Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili and Pau Gasol.

Those absences did not stop the Spurs and Patty Mills, who scored 10 of his 20 points late in the first half when San Antonio took control en route to a 112-86 rout of the Brooklyn Nets.

Leonard (sore left hand) missed his third game of the season, mostly to rest ahead of Tuesday's game in Toronto after playing 46 minutes Saturday in Cleveland. Ginobili (back spasms) was held out more for rest purposes, missing his sixth game of the season, while Parker was back in San Antonio getting his sore left foot examined.

Gasol had surgery Friday on his fractured left hand.

"I think the biggest compliment I can give is (the team does) everything I expected," Lee said. "That's the way it's been. There's a certain level of efficiency, and there's just a real level of maturity here. ... Coach (Gregg Popovich) is going to get his way no matter who he has in there."

Among those who were ready was Mills, who missed five of his first six shots but wound coming within three points of his season high. He helped the Spurs surge ahead to a 52-42 lead at halftime by sandwiching two 3-pointers around a 19-footer and a 20-footer in a span of 2:15, and San Antonio's lead never dipped into single digits again.

"Second half we turned it up defensively, and that's usually the key for us because it fuels the offense, so it's just a matter of trying to make stops," Popovich said. "We did a really good job of that in the second half."

Mills then helped the Spurs keep the lead above 20 points with two 3-pointers late in the third quarter as San Antonio (35-9) held a 91-69 cushion. The advantage reached 34 points in the final minutes.

"Everyone gets excited for a chance to get out there and get a chance to play," Mills said. "Nothing changes, the game plan is still the same. What's expected of us is still the same."

Mills was among seven in double figures in San Antonio's fourth straight win. LaMarcus Aldridge added 16 points, nine rebounds and five assists, while Lee contributed 15 points and seven rebounds.

Kyle Anderson started for Leonard and finished with a season-high 14 points. Reserves Jonathon Simmons and Davis Bertans added 11 apiece, while Dewayne Dedmon started for Gasol and had 10.

"Our depth is one of our strengths, and everybody's ready to play and of course Pop makes it clear what he expects out there, whether it's the first-team guys or the role players doing that," Lee said. "We came out and just tried to execute that."

Rookie Isaiah Whitehead led the Nets with a career-high 19 points, while Sean Kilpatrick added 17 points and a game-high 10 rebounds. Brook Lopez was held to 12 points and did not play the final 16:43.

"They moved the ball so well," Lopez said. "They really shared and trusted in one another."

Brooklyn (9-35) shot 39.5 percent while committing 17 turnovers in its 13th loss in 14 games.

"I thought their energy was on a whole other level," Nets coach Kenny Atkinson said. "No excuses. We have three games in four games, that's what it is. I think we fought in Charlotte and New Orleans, but tonight we just didn't have the requisite energy."

After Mills helped the Spurs surge ahead, San Antonio kept pulling away. The Spurs shot 61 percent and scored 12 points off turnovers in a 39-point third quarter to get a 91-69 cushion.

The closest the Nets came to getting it under double digits occurred when Trevor Booker converted a layup with 6:54 left in the third to cut the deficit to 66-54. The Spurs hiked the lead over 20 for the first time on a Mills 3-pointer with 4:28 remaining in the third, and he added another 3-pointer for an 82-65 edge.

San Antonio shot 47.4 percent from the floor and finished with a 50-38 rebounding advantage.

NOTES: Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said F Kawhi Leonard (sore left hand) will not need any testing or treatment. ... Brooklyn GM Sean Marks said G Jeremy Lin (strained left hamstring) experienced a setback a few days ago doing basketball activities. Marks also said Lin was close to returning before the setback. In a lengthy post on his Facebook page, Lin said, "There's nothing more I want than to be on the court fighting with my team. Losing is hard. Wearing blazers every night gets old." ... Spurs G Tony Parker had an MRI exam on his sore left foot. ... Brooklyn rookie G/F Caris LeVert was rested for the first time since returning from his foot injuries Dec. 7. ... Nets G Joe Harris (sprained left ankle) missed his second straight game.