RECAP | BOX SCORE | GAME FLOW

SAN ANTONIO (AP) _ After playing the defending NBA champions close in two earlier games this season, the Los Angeles Clippers didn't come close in the third.

Big nights from Tim Duncan and David Robinson, plus 41 points from the bench, provided a one-two attack that led San Antonio to a 105-82 win over Los Angeles on Tuesday night.

``With Tim Duncan and David Robinson, this team (San Antonio) is going to get the shots they want. They just have so many options,'' Los Angeles rookie Lamar Odom said. ``We played well for a half but this team is just too good to get down that much and expect to come back.''

Duncan scored a game-high 24 points, while Robinson added 22.

In two earlier games this season in Los Angeles, the Spurs struggled to win 99-94 and 99-93. This game was a different story as the Spurs opened the fourth quarter with a 19-6 run and to sent the Clippers to their ninth straight defeat.

San Antonio now leads the all-time series between the two teams by a 76-24 count.

``We picked up the defense in the second half and everyone realized they had to make their shots,'' San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich said. ``L.A. has a lot of young, talented players. We picked up the defense and it was huge for us.''

With Antonio Daniels leading the way with 11 points, the Spurs' reserves outscored Los Angeles' 41-15. Another factor was free throws; San Antonio was 26-of-37 to only 8-of-10 for the Clippers.

``The game was a carryover from last game,'' said Robinson, who also tied Duncan for team-high honors with 13 rebounds. ``We came out and established our defense early on. We did some good things.''

The Clippers, who were outrebounded 54-36, were led by Derek Anderson's 22 points, while Odom added 16.

``This team has a fragile balance,'' Clippers coach Chris Ford said. ``This has been the story all year long. We play well for stretches and then a costly turnover or taking a bad shot causes it to snowball.''

After leading 77-67 going into the fourth quarter, San Antonio put the game away with its big run, going ahead 96-73 on two free throws by Malik Rose with 6:15 to play.

Los Angeles could get no closer than 19 the rest of the way.

San Antonio closed out the third quarter with a 12-4 run to lead take a 10-point lead into the fourth.

``We concentrated good, but we had lulls,'' said San Antonio point guard Avery Johnson, who added 10 points. ``A lot of people come in here and think like we think sometimes, that this should be a blowout, but they played hard. We did what we needed to do and we got people minutes. Come playoff time, everybody needs to be ready.''

After trailing by as many as nine points in the second quarter, San Antonio went on a 16-1 run and led 43-37 on Terry Porter's layup with 5:23 to play before halftime.

Robinson had 15 first-half points as San Antonio led 54-50 at intermission. Anderson had 15 for the Clippers.

``Same story,'' Clippers guard Eric Murdock said. ``We play well for a half or three quarters and then we have a big letdown. It's just something we have to work on.'' ^Notes@ Before the game, San Antonio placed forward Chucky Brown on the injured list due to a strained lower back and activated center Felton Spencer . . . Duncan's double-double was the 131st of his career.