Spurs top Hornets
SAN ANTONIO — Tim Duncan scored 19 points, Tony Parker had 18 and the San Antonio Spurs won their third in a row, beating the New Orleans Hornets 93-83 Thursday night.
A night after Duncan scored 25 in a win over Houston, it was somewhat surprising that he even played. Coach Gregg Popovich has vowed to limit the 35-year-old’s minutes and playing the West’s worst team seemed to invite a night off.
But the Hornets didn’t make it easy. Carly Landry scored 17 points and Greivis Vasquez added 16 points staring in place of Jarrett Jack, keeping New Orleans close before the Spurs blew on the game in the fourth.
Jack sat out with a sore knee but the pain isn’t considered serious. The Hornets have lost 12 of their last 13.
Tiago Splitter added 16 points and Danny Green had 11 off the bench for the Spurs, who improved to an NBA-best 12-1 at home. They need to stockpile all the home wins they can: After hosting the NBA-leading Oklahoma City Thunder on Saturday night, the Spurs won’t be back home for three weeks.
The San Antonio Rodeo runs the Spurs out of town every February — but the franchise has never seen a stretch like this. The compressed schedule in wake of the NBA lockout has San Antonio in the midst of playing 16 of 21 games outside the AT&T Center, the toughest road run in Spurs history.
The upside is that the Spurs should get Manu Ginobili back on their trip. Ginobili broke his hand Jan. 2 but the Spurs have persevered, going 12-7 and staying atop the Southwest Division.
Carldell Johnson scored 11 points and was the only other Hornets player in double figures. New Orleans trailed by just 3 after the third quarter but was outscored 22-12 in the fourth.
Like the Spurs, the Hornets were also playing for the second time in two nights after losing at home to Phoenix. Hornets coach Monty Williams shrugged before the game at the effect of defeat after defeat.
“We’ve had so many losses, they all sting,” Williams said.
Bulls 105, Knicks 102: In New York, Derrick Rose scored 32 points to outduel fellow All-Star starter Carmelo Anthony, and Chicago Bulls beat New York.
Rose had 15 in the fourth quarter and repeatedly answered when the Knicks rallied. With Chicago leading 88-83 midway through the final period, the reigning MVP scored on three straight possessions. He split Anthony and Amare Stoudemire to flip in a shot from past the backboard, then hit a 3-pointer to put the Bulls up 95-88.
Stoudemire had 34 points and 11 rebounds but missed a 3-pointer that would have tied the game with 10 seconds left.
Grizzlies 96, Hawks 77: In Atlanta, Rudy Gay scored 21 points to lead five Memphis players in double figures and the Grizzlies blew out listless Atlanta.
Memphis pulled away late in the first half, closing on an 18-7 run that gave the Grizzlies a 10-point lead at the break. They totally blew it open in the third quarter after Atlanta missed its first seven shots and turned it over three times.
Josh Smith led the Hawks with 11 points.