Duncan’s 23 and 10 power Spurs over Heat
SAN ANTONIO (AP)—Tim Duncan(notes) had 23 points and 10 rebounds, and the San AntonioSpurs beat a winning team for the first time in a month with a 108-78 victoryover the Miami Heat on Thursday night.
Manu Ginobili(notes) added 18 points for the Spurs, who have won 10 of 12. But theHeat are the only winning team among those victories, a fact not lost on Spurscoach Gregg Popovich.
Before the game, Popovich said he’s been “not quite as impressed” as thestreak may suggest since the Spurs have only been dominant against weakercompetition. Nonetheless, San Antonio won its fourth straight.
Miami Heat's Michael Beasl… AP – Dec 31, 8:42 pm EST ![]()
Miami Heat's Michael Beasl… AP – Dec 31, 8:41 pm EST ![]()
San Antonio Spurs' Manu Gi… AP – Dec 31, 8:35 pm EST ![]()
Miami Heat's Michael Beasl… AP – Dec 31, 8:34 pm EST ![]()
San Antonio Spurs' Tim Dun… AP – Dec 31, 8:27 pm EST ![]()
San Antonio Spurs' Manu Gi… AP – Dec 31, 8:26 pm EST YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_last_index = 5; YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_lazy_images = [http://d.yimg.com/a/p/ap/20100101/capt.f27f57f91b084456be631d57f0ea936a.heat_spurs_basketball_txeg105.jpg?x=180&y=200&xc=45&yc=1&wc=321&hc=357&q=70&sig=w4r3kdAB_6jcUVySKNxAQQ--,http://d.yimg.com/a/p/ap/20100101/capt.171911d15a72495aa79470ee81c53d8f.heat_spurs_basketball_txeg104.jpg?x=180&y=200&xc=2&yc=1&wc=368&hc=409&q=70&sig=TahIktpQ6egoUbxkrzRTVg--,http://d.yimg.com/a/p/ap/20100101/capt.381a4ab07cfc4d9a9cf58ef4ecb619c4.heat_spurs_basketball_txeg104.jpg?x=180&y=200&xc=88&yc=1&wc=235&hc=261&q=70&sig=fOUlH8U2.6P7tHw7HjZcAw--,http://d.yimg.com/a/p/ap/20100101/capt.93fbaa2bcd834811a46935b5e4615fa7.heat_spurs_basketball_txeg102.jpg?x=180&y=200&xc=1&yc=1&wc=273&hc=303&q=70&sig=XX67vVQxINCiBfy1zVQ7rA--,http://d.yimg.com/a/p/ap/20100101/capt.8fce9fe09527449599235c01f8f96dd8.heat_spurs_basketball_txeg101.jpg?x=180&y=200&xc=1&yc=1&wc=336&hc=373&q=70&sig=wQqkALTf_yKvcjylDOq0BQ--]; YAHOO.util.Event.addListener(window,load,YAHOO.Sports.articleLazyLoadCarousel.init); 1 of 6 Mia-SA Gallery function prev_photo() { if (YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_index > 0) { goto_photo(YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_index – 1); } else { goto_photo(YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_last_index); }}function next_photo() { if (YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_index 0) { YAHOO.util.Dom.addClass(article_carousel_prev, prev); YAHOO.util.Dom.removeClass(article_carousel_prev, prev_disabled); } else { YAHOO.util.Dom.addClass(article_carousel_prev, prev_disabled); YAHOO.util.Dom.removeClass(article_carousel_prev, prev); } if (YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_index < YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_last_index) { YAHOO.util.Dom.addClass(article_carousel_next, next); YAHOO.util.Dom.removeClass(article_carousel_next, next_disabled); } else { YAHOO.util.Dom.addClass(article_carousel_next, next_disabled); YAHOO.util.Dom.removeClass(article_carousel_next, next); }*/}function goto_photo(p) { if (YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_photos) { for(i = 0; i < YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_photos.length; i++) { if (i == p) { YAHOO.util.Dom.setStyle(YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_photos[i], display, ); } else { YAHOO.util.Dom.setStyle(YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_photos[i], display, none); } } if (YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_page) { YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_page.innerHTML =(p + 1); YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_index = p; } } update_buttons();}YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_init = function () { YAHOO.util.Event.addListener(article_carousel_prev, click, prev_photo); YAHOO.util.Event.addListener(article_carousel_next, click, next_photo); YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_index = 0; YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_page = YAHOO.util.Dom.get(carousel_page); YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_photos = YAHOO.util.Dom.getElementsByClassName(item, div, leadphoto); if (YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_photos) { goto_photo(0); }}YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_init();
Miami, meanwhile, was dealt its most humiliating loss this season. MichaelBeasley(notes) scored 26, and Dwyane Wade(notes) had 16 before watching the blowout from thebench in the fourth.
The Heat fell on the road for the second consecutive night. Back-to-backgames have been trouble for Miami, which is 1-7 whether playing on the first orsecond night.
Miami made just 10 field goals in the second half.
Duncan scored 13 in the first quarter, but the Spurs didn’t need him muchafter leading 58-49 at halftime. He shot 10 of 13 from the field as San Antoniocruised to its biggest victory of the season.
The Spurs have leaned on Duncan as their leading scorer in seven of theirlast 12 games. Even with the overhaul San Antonio underwent this summer to giveits aging All-Star help, Duncan has continued to carry the Spurs during theirbest stretch so far.
That stretch finally includes a victory over a winning team—which theSpurs hadn’t done since Nov. 27 against Houston.
Between then and now, the Spurs withered against division leaders Boston andDenver, lost to Utah and Phoenix and couldn’t beat Portland despite thebanged-up Trail Blazers playing without Brandon Roy(notes).
All told, even though San Antonio finally looks to be in a rhythm after a9-9 start, the Spurs are 3-10 against teams that had winning records enteringFriday.
“If all nine (recent) wins were against Cleveland, Orlando, Phoenix or theLakers, I’d be pretty impressed with us,” Popovich said before the game. “Butthat’s not the case. Hence, I’m not quite as impressed.”
Tony Parker(notes) had 15 points and rookie DeJuan Blair(notes) had 14 for the Spurs.
Beasley and Wade were the only Heat players in double-figures.
Notes: The Heat fell to 2-21 all-time in San Antonio. …The Spurs areslowly getting closer to getting their full roster back. F Matt Bonner(notes) (brokenhand) is expected to miss another two weeks, and F Michael Finley(notes) (ankle) hasresumed shooting baskets and conditioning.
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