Duncan, Parker lift Spurs over Hornets
SAN ANTONIO – Tim Duncan scored 19 points Thursday, Tony Parker had 18, and the San Antonio Spurs won their third in a row, beating the New Orleans Hornets, 93-83.
A night after Duncan scored 25 in a win against 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 open 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 past 13.
Grizzlies 96, Hawks 77: At Atlanta, Memphis had not won a game in Atlanta in more than six years.
The Grizzlies took care of that skid in a big way. Rudy Gay scored 21 points, four other teammates were in double figures, and Memphis blew out the listless Hawks.
“It was outstanding defense from the start,” said coach Lionel Hollins, whose team came up with 13 steals. “We started executing and our defense just took over from that.”
Memphis snapped a five-game losing streak at Philips Arena, winning for the first time since an 85-84 triumph on Nov. 12, 2005.
