Duncan, Parker Lead Unbeaten Spurs Past Winless Kings
Spurs 96, Kings 80
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Friday, November 2, 2007; 11:20 PM
SAN ANTONIO -- Tim Duncan and Tony Parker scored 15 points apiece, and the San Antonio Spurs beat the Sacramento Kings 96-80 Friday night to remain unbeaten.
The Spurs are 3-0 for the first time since the 2000-01 season, when they finished with the best record in the league. The Kings have yet to win a game this season.
Offseason addition Ime Udoka had 14 points, including three 3-pointers, for San Antonio. Fabricio Oberto and Duncan each had 10 rebounds.
The Kings never led, and most of the Spurs' starters sat out the entire fourth quarter.
Kevin Martin scored 22 points for the Kings, followed by John Salmons with 14 points and nine rebounds. Brad Miller finished with 13 points.
The Spurs were up 17-10 after one quarter and 50-23 at the half.
The Kings shot just 7-of-36 in the first half (19 percent). They set a franchise record-low for points scored in the half.
While the Kings were shooting poorly early, the Spurs were playing with energy. Martin had just let the ball go for his second free throw with 4:43 on the clock in the second quarter, and Manu Ginobili raced to the other end of the court. Duncan threw the ball the length of the court, giving Ginobili an easy layup to make it 40-21.
On the next possession, Duncan blocked Francisco Garcia, leading to a 3-pointer from Ginobili to put the Spurs up by 22 points.
The reigning champions were clearly still getting their own legs under them, though. During the second quarter, Parker, apparently looking for Ginobili, threw the ball out of bounds and into at least the second row of courtside seats.
Martin led the Kings with 11 points in the third quarter as the Kings outscored San Antonio 31-21. Martin's fast-break layup off an assist from Salmons cut the Spurs' lead to 19 with 30 seconds left in the period. Salmons followed with a basket to make it 71-54 heading into the fourth.
The Kings got within 71-56 early in the fourth, but back-to-back 3s from Brent Barry and Udoka pushed the Spurs back to an 81-60 lead with 8:09 to play.
Matt Bonner had 13 points for San Antonio, which led by as much as 29. Ginobili finished with 10.
After starting dismally, Sacramento finished 29-of-75 from the field (39 percent). It wasn't too much better than the Spurs, who went 31-of-75 (41 percent.)
Guard Beno Udrih, who was traded on Monday to Minnesota, then signed with Sacramento after the Timberwolves waived him, did not dress while still recovering from a broken left index finger he got last month during Spurs training camp.
Udrih won two rings with the Spurs, including last season, when he lost his spot as backup point guard to Tony Parker after Jacque Vaughn took over. Notes: Spurs coach Gregg Popovich gave Udrih his championship ring before tip-off Friday. ... The Spurs were 4-0 against the Kings last season. ... Duncan has four 20-20 games against the Kings, more than against any other opponent.
