Duncan, who recored his league-leading 13th double-double, made 11-of-18 shots and started the key fourth-quarter run just as he started the game -- with a layup.
With the Spurs clinging to a 62-61 lead, Duncan hit his bucket with 8:08 remaining to begin a 12-4 run that widened the margin to nine points with 4:55 to play.
 Tim Duncan rises above the Rockets on his way to scoring 25 points. Bill Baptist NBAE/Getty Images |
The Spurs beat the Rockets for the 12th time in the last 13 meetings. They did it by jumping out to a 17-2 lead over the first five minutes and holding on despite managing a franchise record-low eight points in the second period.
"It was nothing but us missing shots," Duncan said. "We had some great open looks in the second and third quarter, but it was just a matter of us not getting those to fall in."
The points were a season low for the Rockets and the fewest the Spurs allowed this season.
"Defensively we did a great job," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "When you keep someone under 80 points, that's a heck of a job. We just need to get our offense going."
Houston has lost five straight games, the last three without its injured starting backcourt of Steve Francis and Cuttino Mobley. The Rockets have lost each of the last eight games that Francis has been sidelined and are 0-4 dating back to last season when both he and Mobley miss a game with injuries.
"We missed 25 layups," Rockets coach Rudy Tomjanovich said. "They had a lot to do with it, but if we make five of those, it's one heck of a game. We kept our composure and if effort and desire can get you a win, we should've had one."
San Antonio's David Robinson registered his second double-double of the season with 12 points and 10 rebounds.
"Coming off last night (a 109-106 overtime home loss to Sacramento), we wanted to get back in it," Robinson said. "Defensively, we wanted to come out strong. We held them under 40 points in the first half and that's good. Offensively, we were a little slow but we got it going when it counted."
Terry Porter tied his season high with 11 points. Porter tallied seven points in the fourth quarter.
"I thought Terry did a great job generating offense down the stretch," Popovich said. "I thought he was the key."
The Rockets, who never led, were paced by a season-high 21 points from rookie Oscar Torres, his third straight game in double figures.
Kenny Thomas added 21 points and eight rebounds for Houston, which made a season-low six free throws and committed a season-high 22 turnovers.