Nets-Spurs Preview

By ALAN FERGUSON
Posted Dec 31 2012 12:38AM

The Brooklyn Nets haven't lost since P.J. Carlesimo took over as interim coach, but the competition is about to get much tougher.

After dispatching a pair of lowly foes, the Nets open a daunting stretch trying to earn a rare victory over the surging San Antonio Spurs, who will seek a season-high sixth consecutive win.

After losing 10 of its first 13 games this month, Brooklyn (16-14) fired Avery Johnson on Thursday and promoted Carlesimo, who has more than 200 wins as an NBA head coach.

The Nets have responded well since the change with a 97-81 win over Charlotte on Friday and a 103-100 victory over Cleveland the next day.

Brook Lopez had a season-high 35 points and 11 rebounds against the Cavaliers, and is averaging 27.3 on 62.0 percent shooting over the last three games. The center averaged 14.7 points on 42.2 percent shooting in his first six games back from a sprained right foot.

"This can start something, so for us to get these two wins, we've got a little confidence going on the road," swingman Joe Johnson said. "We'll ride this confidence into San Antonio and try to get us another win."

After facing two seven-win teams at home, the Nets will open a three-game road trip against a pair of division leaders, San Antonio (24-8) and Oklahoma City (23-6). Carlesimo was a former assistant to Spurs coach Gregg Popovich and led the Thunder for 13 games in 2008-09, going 1-12.

In the first of those reunions, Carlesimo and the Nets will face a Spurs team that has outscored its last four opponents by an average of 22.2 points. In Sunday's 111-86 win over Dallas, Tony Parker had a team-best 21 points and Manu Ginobili contributed 20 off the bench as San Antonio shot 50.6 percent.

"I liked the focus of this team," Parker said. "From the get-go, we moved the ball, took good shots and played great defense."

When it returns from Dallas, San Antonio will try to secure a ninth consecutive win at the AT&T Center and its 10th straight home victory over the Nets, including the postseason. Brooklyn's last road win over the Spurs was on June 6, 2003, in Game 2 of the NBA finals.

San Antonio has also prevailed in 17 of the last 18 regular-season matchups, and took a 103-89 victory in the lone meeting last season on Feb. 11.

The Nets' Deron Williams had 27 points in that home game, but only three others reached double digits in a 40.2-percent shooting performance. The Spurs, meanwhile, shot 52.5 percent and had six players in double figures.

Lopez missed that game because of an injured right foot but his presence might not have made too much of a difference. He's been held to a combined 24 points on 34.5 percent shooting (10 of 29) in his past two matchups.

Williams, a former high school star in Texas, is averaging 25.8 points in his last four games against the Spurs.

San Antonio starting guard Gary Neal, who scored a team-best 18 points in last season's meeting, has missed the past three games because of a strained right calf.

Parker leads Spurs over Nets for 6th straight win

By RAUL DOMINGUEZ
Posted Dec 31 2012 10:33PM

SAN ANTONIO (AP) The Brooklyn Nets ended 2012 a few hours earlier than most.

Tony Parker had 20 points and the San Antonio Spurs held the Nets to only five points in the third quarter en route to a 104-73 win Monday night.

MarShon Brooks had a season-high 16 points to lead Brooklyn (16-15), which suffered its first loss under interim head coach P.J. Carlesimo. Joe Johnson added 12 points and Brook Lopez had 11, but Deron Williams was held to eight points and one assist.

San Antonio set a franchise low for fewest points by an opponent in the third quarter when it held the Nets to 10-percent shooting (2 for 20).

"I'm actually surprised it wasn't worse," Carlesimo said.

Tim Duncan added 15 points and Nando DeColo had 11, while Kawhi Leonard, Tiago Splitter and Matt Bonner chipped in 10 apiece for San Antonio (25-8), which won its sixth straight.

The Spurs had seven players score in the third, with Duncan scoring seven and Parker adding five points and three assists.

The Nets missed six 3-point attempts in the third and also had seven turnovers.

"It was bad all the way around - offensively and defensively," Williams said. "We just couldn't put the ball in the basket. We couldn't get stops. We turned the ball over in the quarter."

The Spurs went on a 10-0 run to start the second half as the Nets were held scoreless in the opening 4 minutes. Williams' fadeaway jumper with 7:52 left in the third was Brooklyn's lone basket in the first 10 minutes of the period. Williams was the Nets' only scorer in the third, making a free throw to complete a three-point play following a layup with 1:38 left in the quarter.

The Nets missed 12 shots between Williams' baskets, including four attempts within six feet.

"We played great defense in the third quarter," Parker said. "We tried to make an effort defensively and coach (Gregg) Popovich has been talking a lot about that and it has been a huge improvement for us the last two games. Defense has been great and we are on the right track."

While Brooklyn was struggling, San Antonio had 11 assists in the quarter while going 13 of 19 from the field.

Parker sparked the run by feeding Duncan for a 6-foot jumper and Splitter for a reverse layup on the Spurs' opening possessions of the third.

"I thought Tony set the tone for us," Popovich said. "I thought he was a monster tonight. Offensively aggressive; defensively, really focused, really committed. I thought he was fantastic and everybody followed suit."

San Antonio is 18-1 this season when they have led after the third period and went 9-0 at home in December.

The Spurs went on a 12-4 run late in the first behind the speed of their backcourt. Parker fed Splitter for a dunk and Boris Diaw for an uncontested layup after drawing the defense on consecutive drives. Ginobili scored a pair of layups, including one after he stepped in front of a pass.

Coupled with their 111-86 victory over the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday, San Antonio has now swept six back-to-back games this season and is 11-5 in those contests.

The Spurs hit the road for back-to-back games at Milwaukee on Wednesday and Thursday at New York.

The lopsided third quarter allowed San Antonio to limit its minutes Monday night. No Spurs players put in more than 26 minutes.

"It was very important for us, especially since we have a long trip tomorrow," Ginobili said of the rest. "We are going through a tough stretch but it is great to have a chance to sit most of the fourth tonight."

NOTES: Spurs G Gary Neal (strained right calf) missed his fourth straight game and sixth this season. . Brooklyn F Gerald Wallace (bruised left knee) missed his eighth game of the season. . Johnson, Andray Blatche and C.J. Watson are the only Nets to play in every game this season. Johnson has started each of those games. . The fewest points an opponent has scored in any quarter is three by Denver during the opening period on Nov. 27, 2002. . The Nets have not won in San Antonio since Jan. 22, 2002, a streak of 11 games. . Carlesimo was Popovich's lead assistant with the Spurs from 2002-2007 before leaving to become head coach of Seattle in 2007. The SuperSonics moved to Oklahoma City the following season, where Carlesimo was fired 13 games into the season.

Notebook: Spurs 104, Nets 73

Tim Price, For NBA.com
Posted Mon Dec 31, 2012 10:36 PM - Updated Mon Dec 31, 2012 10:36 PM

THE FACTS: Tony Parker scored 20 points in 25 minutes and the Spurs blew open a close game in the third quarter of a 104-73 victory over the Brooklyn Nets on Monday at AT&T Center.

The Spurs (25-8) have won a season-best six straight. They outscored the Nets 30-5 in the third quarter to go ahead by 33 heading into the fourth.

It's the first loss for the Nets (16-15) in the three games since Avery Johnson was fired and former Spurs assistant P.J. Carlesimo took over as coach. Deron Williams struggled (eight points, one assist), and Gerald Wallace missed the game with a left knee bruise.

QUOTABLE: "We played great defense in the third quarter. Defense has been great the last two games. We're on the right track."

-- Tony Parker

THE STAT: The Nets shot 2-for-20 in the third quarter compared to the Spurs' 13-for-19.

TURNING POINT: Despite the Spurs outshooting Brooklyn 65 percent to 49 in the first half and outscoring the Nets by 20 in the paint, San Antonio led by only eight at halftime. But the lack of efficient offense from Brooklyn showed up in the third quarter, even though Williams played all 12 minutes. In addition to the 18 missed shots, the Nets turned the ball over seven times and were outscored 16-2 in the paint. The eight-point Spurs lead turned into 33 heading into the fourth. The five points scored by the Nets is easily their worst in a quarter this season (10 was the previous low), and it was the lowest any team has scored in a third quarter against the Spurs in the history of the franchise.

QUOTABLE II: "We're out of whack as a group. Even on bad nights, I don't play like this. It doesn't even feel like it's me out there on the court. Tonight was just another night I didn't help. I said [at the beginning of the season] we had a great team on paper. I said it would take some time for us to jell. I didn't think it would take this long."

-- Deron Williams

HOT: Each of the Spurs starters shot more than 50 percent tonight and were a collective 26-for-38 (68 percent) from the floor.

NOT: Williams shot 3-for-11 for the Nets tonight and is shooting 35 percent the last two games. Strangely, two of the shots he made came in the team's collapse during the third quarter.

FANTASY SPOTLIGHT: Parker's 20 is his third-straight with that much or more, and he is averaging 24 points in those games.

INSIDE THE ARENA: Corey Robinson, son of former Spurs center David Robinson, was recognized at halftime for being named to play in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl high school football all-star game next week. Robinson, a 6-4 receiver, has committed to play next season at Notre Dame.

GOOD MOVE: The Spurs have shot almost 23 3-pointers per game this season. But rather than keep hoisting shots from the outside, the Spurs tossed the ball into Tim Duncan and Tiago Splitter and kept the 3-point shot in their pocket against the Nets. Duncan responded with a 7-for-12 night from the floor and Splitter was 5-for-7. San Antonio took 14 3s, just one more than the season low.

BAD MOVE: The Nets failed to follow the Spurs' example on offense. Their average shot attempt in the third quarter was from 13 feet, while San Antonio's average shot came from just inside 10. Ultimately, San Antonio outscored Brooklyn 56-32 in the paint.

ROOKIE WATCH: Nando De Colo continues to get increased minutes with Gary Neal sidelined (right calf strain) and the fact that the Spurs have been blowing out opponents lately (nearly a 21-point victory margin in this winning streak). He had 11 points from 4-for-7 shooting in 22 minutes. That beat the Nets' rookies (Tyshawn Taylor, Mirza Teletovic and Tornike Shengelia), who combined for 2-for-7 shooting and four points in 26 minutes.

NOTABLE: During this six-game winning streak, the Spurs have won by 20 or more points in four of the last five games. Besides a six-point win over Houston, the average margin of victory in the last five games is 28 points. ... Reggie Evans had a nine-rebound night, but he could not win a jump ball against Parker in the third quarter.

UP NEXT: For the Nets, Wednesday @ Oklahoma City, Friday @ Washington, Saturday vs. Sacramento. For the Spurs, Wednesday @ Milwaukee, Thursday @ New York, Saturday vs. Philadelphia.

• Nets: Wallace
• Spurs: Joseph

• Nets: --
• Spurs: --

• Lead Changes: 3
• Times Tied: 1

• Arena: AT&T Center, San Antonio, TX
• Officials: #19 James Capers, #47 Bennie Adams, #78 Scott Bolnick
• Attendance: 18581
• Duration: 1:58