76ers-Spurs Preview

By NOEY KUPCHAN
Posted Jan 05 2013 12:29AM

The San Antonio Spurs had been rolling before coming up short their last time out due in part to a lack of energy.

The Philadelphia 76ers could be faced with a similar issue Saturday night as they conclude a season-high eight-game road trip.

Seeking a 10th straight home win, the Spurs try to get back on track against a 76ers team surely dreading another visit to San Antonio.

One night after beating Milwaukee 117-110, the Spurs (26-9) saw their season-best seven-game winning streak come to an end Thursday in a 100-83 loss at New York. Tim Duncan and Tony Parker scored just 11 points apiece while Manu Ginobili was limited to eight on 2-of-10 shooting for San Antonio, which was outrebounded 48-35 and outscored 36-12 in the paint.

"They shot the hell out of it and I could see it wasn't going to happen," said coach Gregg Popovich, whose team was held to a season-low point total. "Just too low on fuel and their defense was too good. Bad combination, and then they made shots, which makes it even worse."

Getting back home could help the Spurs, who didn't appear too bothered by Thursday's result.

"We lost a game, it's the middle of the season. It happens. We move on to the next game and hopefully get our legs back underneath us. We just won (seven) in a row and lost a game. I think we'll be alright," Duncan said.

"It's a long season with a lot of games. You're gonna win some, you're gonna lose some. We feel pretty good about ourselves right now, I think we're playing pretty well."

San Antonio has been especially good at the AT&T Center, where it went 9-0 in December and outscored opponents by an average of 16.9 points.

That shouldn't come as much of a surprise to Philadelphia (15-19), which has dropped 24 of 25 road matchups in this series dating to 1987 - including the last eight while managing just 88.4 points per game. The 76ers were limited to 27 points in the second half of a 93-76 defeat during their most recent visit March 25.

Philadelphia also struggled down the stretch Friday in a 109-85 loss at Oklahoma City. Nick Young had 21 points off the bench for the 76ers, who shot 40.5 percent and were outscored 63-43 over the final two quarters. Jrue Holiday added 15 points and nine assists.

Young attempted all eight of the team's free-throws Friday, making six.

"We've got to be stronger, take that ball to the basket and make them foul us," said coach Doug Collins, whose team has dropped five of seven on its trek and 10 of 13 overall. "For one guy to shoot a free throw tonight, I'm not saying anything that that has anything to do with the whistle. So, I don't want that to be miscalculated at all."

No team has played more road games since the start of December than the 76ers, a stretch during which they've gone 2-10. After Saturday they play 13 of 15 at home. Philadelphia has dropped five straight in the second of back-to-backs and is 2-7 in such games overall.

Spurs forward Stephen Jackson is uncertain to be available after spraining his right ankle against New York.

Spurs too much for 76ers, 109-86

Posted Jan 06 2013 12:38AM

SAN ANTONIO (AP) Manu Ginobili drove to the basket for a one-handed dunk, and the rout was on.

The San Antonio Spurs may be one of the league's oldest teams, but they had no problem dispatching with the younger Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday night.

Ginobili scored 19 points and Tim Duncan moved up a spot on the NBA's career scoring list, helping San Antonio to an easy 109-86 victory.

Tony Parker had 20 points and Duncan added 16 for San Antonio, which has won 10 straight at home. Danny Green scored 13, and Tiago Splitter finished with 12 points and 10 rebounds.

Spencer Hawes had a game-high 22 points for Philadelphia, which has lost three straight and five of six.

"You can't breathe for a second," Philadelphia guard Jrue Holiday said. "Even though I would count them as one of the older groups, there's just a lot of leadership, a lot of minutes played, and a lot of basketball players. They're a good team."

Duncan now has 23,179 points over 15 seasons, passing Adrian Dantley for 24th on the scoring list.

Duncan, Ginobili and Parker set a decisive tone against Philadelphia, scoring 22 of San Antonio's 31 points in the first quarter. The Spurs' trio did not have any turnovers in the opening quarter while combining for six assists and four rebounds in building a 10-point lead.

Philadelphia coach Doug Collins could only nod his head in admiration at what the three Spurs stars did Saturday and what they have done throughout their career under coach Gregg Popovich's guidance.

"(Popovich's) got three core guys that have been with him through thick and thin," Collins said. "If you've noticed what they've done, they always change the pieces around them. Those three and Pop are all there together. That's the stability."

Still, it was Ginobili's outing that excited the Spurs. He seems to be fully healthy after a series of leg injuries in recent seasons.

"I've been back for more than a month," Ginobili said. "Of course, when you play four games in five nights, it's hard to feel fresh. Then you have a day off and a good night sleep and you start to get it back. Sooner or later it gets better, it has to."

After making a pair of 3s, Ginobili crossed up Evan Turner, driving to the basket for a one-handed dunk that gave San Antonio a 29-16 lead with 3 minutes left in the first.

"That was great to see," Popovich said. "He's had to slowly get back all his athleticism. His confidence is always there because he's such an experienced guy, but his body's caught up and he looks as good as he's looked in a while. He's definitely back."

San Antonio improved to 14-2 at home while rebounding from a blowout loss Thursday against the New York Knicks.

Philadelphia's only lead came via Thaddeus Young's hook shot on the game's opening possession. Splitter tied the game with a layup on the ensuing possession and Duncan's 15-foot jumper gave the Spurs a 4-2 lead they would never relinquish.

Turner added 12 points and Young, Holiday and Jason Richardson each added 11 for the 76ers (15-20).

Philadelphia shot 42 percent from the field, including a 3-for-17 night from long range. The Spurs had 24 assists while shooting 48 percent.

Parker was 8 for 16 from the field in 29 minutes, the most of any San Antonio player in the rout.

NOTES: San Antonio's Stephen Jackson (sprained right ankle) missed his 16th game of the season. He injured his ankle against New York, tripping over a waitress working the courtside seats. ... Nando De Colo was recalled from San Antonio's Austin affiliate in the NBA Development League prior to the Saturday's game. ... Former Spurs F Malik Rose is now serving as an analyst for the 76ers' television broadcasts. Rose subbed as an analyst for former teammate Sean Elliott on several San Antonio broadcasts last season prior to joining Philadelphia's crew. Rose is a native of Philadelphia. ... Gary Neal had 12 points for San Antonio.

Notebook: Spurs 109, 76ers 86

Tim Price, for NBA.com
Posted Sat Jan 05, 2013 11:36 PM - Updated Sat Jan 05, 2013 11:36 PM

THE FACTS: Tony Parker scored 20 points and Manu Ginobili came off the bench to add 19 as the San Antonio Spurs put an unforgiving end to Philadelphia's eight-game road streak with a 109-86 victory over the 76ers on Saturday at AT&T Center.

San Antonio (27-9) also got 16 points from Tim Duncan and double figures from three others (starters Danny Green and Tiago Splitter and reserve Gary Neal).

The Sixers (15-20) played four games in five nights -- including this back-to-back against Western Conference powers Oklahoma City and San Antonio -- but now will head back to Philadelphia. Though four starters scored in double figures, Spencer Hawes came off the bench to lead Philly with 22 points on 10-of-13 shooting.

QUOTABLE: "This would have been a tall order if we had eight days rest. This team (the Spurs) is as good as any team in the NBA."
-- 76ers coach Doug Collins.

THE STAT: The Sixers shot 40.5 percent last night in Oklahoma City and 41.7 tonight. Philly is 2-17 when failing to out-shoot opponents this season.

TURNING POINT: San Antonio had a double-digit lead most of the night, but the Sixers had a chance to cut it to 11 when Hawes uncharacteristically missed a layup in the final minute of the third quarter. Hawes then committed two shooting fouls on Ginobili -- one that set up an and-one that Ginobili converted into a 3-point play -- and San Antonio scored the final five points of the third quarter.

QUOTABLE II: "I didn't know they had been out on the road that long. That last game of that trip usually you try to give it your all, but you're usually dead out there. I can understand that. Our guys played well tonight. We made shots and we took them out."
-- Duncan.

HOT: Hawes' 10-of-13 night comes at a good time. He entered the game with consecutive games of 3-of-11 shooting from the floor and also went 2-of-10 four games back at Portland.

NOT: The Sixers went 3-of-17 from the 3-point line, including a combined 0-for-6 from Nick Young and Evan Turner, and were outscored 24-9 from 3-point territory.

FANTASY SPOTLIGHT: Though Parker's 20 points came with five assists and Ginobili added seven rebounds to his 19 points, Splitter had the only double-double of the night with 12 points and 10 rebounds.

ROOKIE WATCH: Just four games back Nando De Colo enjoyed one of his better games of the season with 11 points off 4-of-7 shooting in 22 minutes against Brooklyn. It looked like he was becoming the backup at point guard for Parker, but he played 10 minutes tonight with three points and Neal started filling in as the second point.

NOTABLE: Duncan passed Adrian Dantley for 24th on the all-time scoring list. ... The 76ers have a league-high 13 road games since December, but play 13 of the next 15 in Philadelphia.

UP NEXT: For the 76ers, Tuesday vs. Brooklyn, Wednesday @ Toronto, Saturday vs. Houston. For the Spurs, Monday @ New Orleans, Wednesday vs. L.A. Lakers, Friday @ Memphis.

• 76ers: Bynum, Moultrie
• Spurs: Joseph

• 76ers: --
• Spurs: --

• Lead Changes: 1
• Times Tied: 1

• Arena: AT&T Center, San Antonio, TX
• Officials: #14 Ed Malloy, #75 Eric Dalen, #20 Leroy Richardson
• Attendance: 18581
• Duration: 2:00