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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME FLOW
SAN ANTONIO (AP) -- David Robinson's aching back is getting
better.
Robinson scored 19 points, and Tim Duncan added 15 points and 14 rebounds as the San Antonio Spurs defeated the Golden State
Warriors 104-81 Thursday night.
| | Jason Caffey reaches in to foul Tim Duncan of the Spurs. |
Robinson, 34, was slowed in the preseason with a sore upper back
after getting elbowed in an exhibition game in Houston. He also had
tightness in his lower back, a problem that flares up from time to
time. He missed two preseason games because of the ailments.
"I'm starting to feel good again," Robinson said. "My back
body is starting to bounce around again. My back feels fine."
Robinson and Duncan each had three blocked shots as the Spurs
held Golden State to 34 percent shooting.
"We did great defensively," Duncan said. "The low shooting
percentage (for Golden State) was very good. That's what we want to
do. That's what we did last year."
Warriors coach P.J. Carlesimo said his team tried to concentrate
on defending Duncan and Robinson, but then other Spurs players
pitched in and hurt Golden State.
"They are so deep," Carlesimo said. "They have quite a few
guys on their bench with nearly ten years of NBA experience who
really understand their roles and fill them nicely."
Reserve forward Samaki Walker, a free agent from Dallas who
signed with San Antonio in the offseason, had 16 points.
"I'm still looking for my flow," Walker said. "Once I get my
flow, I feel I can contribute more, give more of a spark."
San Antonio held a 10-point lead at halftime, then expanded it
to 20 several times in the third quarter.
By the end of the third, the Warriors trimmed the Spurs' lead to
73-56 thanks to two baskets by rookie Vonteego Cummings in the
final 29 seconds.
The Spurs opened the final period with a 3-pointer by Jaren
Jackson. Robinson scored the next seven points for San Antonio,
giving the Spurs an 83-61 lead with 8:03 remaining and putting the
game out of reach.
Antawn Jamison led the Warriors with 18 points and 11 rebounds.
"I'm getting tired of seeing Tim Duncan," Jamison said. "He's
a nice guy and a great basketball player, but I've been going up
against him since college. Against that front line of theirs, you
can't become soft. If you beat one, the other is coming, so you
have to play smart."
Mookie Blaylock made his debut at point guard for Golden State
with six points and six assists in 24 minutes. Blaylock sat out the
Warriors' 108-96 season-opening loss in Dallas on Tuesday because
of a strained left calf muscle.
The Spurs scored nine unanswered points in the final 2:53 of the
first quarter to take a 23-14 lead. San Antonio led by as many as
13 points three times during the second quarter, but each time
Golden State inched a little closer. The Spurs led 44-34 at
halftime.
Game notes Golden State had 17 turnovers, compared with 13 for San
Antonio. Turnovers were a problem for both teams in their
respective season openers Tuesday. ... San Antonio again started
Chucky Brown at small forward in place of Sean Elliott, who is
recuperating from a kidney transplant. ... Terry Cummings of Golden
State got a round of applause from Spurs fans when he entered the
game midway through the first quarter. He was a popular player when
he was with the Spurs from 1989-95. .... San Antonio has won 14
straight games in the Alamodome and hasn't lost a regular season
home game since falling to Toronto on March 26 last season. ...
Golden State's home opener is Saturday against Dallas.
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ALSO SEE
NBA Scoreboard
Golden State Clubhouse
San Antonio Clubhouse
RECAPS
Toronto 97 Miami 86
Milwaukee 119 Atlanta 109
Charlotte 98 Indiana 89
San Antonio 104 Golden State 81
Phoenix 84 Philadelphia 80
Utah 98 Houston 82
Seattle 106 Dallas 96
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