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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME FLOW
SAN ANTONIO (AP) – Defense was the difference for the San
Antonio Spurs.
|  | | Derek Anderson, right, and Tim Duncan, left, shut down Antoine Walker and the Celtics. |
Derek Anderson scored 20 points and Tim Duncan and David
Robinson each had a double-double as San Antonio limited Boston to
37 percent shooting and beat the Celtics 100-82 Friday night.
In their last two games, the Spurs had allowed Milwaukee and the
Los Angeles Lakers to each shoot 53 percent or better. Friday
night, San Antonio's defense stymied the Celtics.
"That's what wins games for us," Duncan said. "If we give up
50 percent shooting and 100-point games, we're going to lose those
games, no doubt. We know what we have to do."
Spurs coach Gregg Popovich expected a better defensive showing.
"After the last couple games, a game like tonight is what you
hope for," Popovich said. "They knew how they played. They're an
intelligent group and they can handle reality."
Duncan finished with 18 points and ten rebounds, while Robinson
added 14 points and 10 rebounds.
The Spurs improved to 22-5 at home. Boston lost its fourth
straight to end an 11-day, seven-city road trip.
"San Antonio is a tough team to beat when you've played four
games in five nights," Boston coach Jim O'Brien said. "They are
brutal. You almost have to play a perfect game to beat them in this
situation."
San Antonio charged to a 43-21 lead as Boston converted only
eight of its first 27 shots.
"We emphasized defense again after the last two games,"
Robinson said. "Coach wasn't very happy with us. Milwaukee did a
good job, but against the Lakers, we could have done better."
Boston's Antoine Walker, who made only two of his first nine
shots against Tim Duncan and Samaki Walker, with David Robinson
rotating, made three field goals in the last six minutes of the
half to bring the Celtics within 57-40 at halftime.
"They have those two big guys (Duncan and Robinson)," Walker
said. "You get by one, and they you got the other. They're a very
difficult team to beat."
The Spurs took control of the game midway through the third
quarter when they built a 74-47 lead.
Pierce, who was 0-for-9 from 3-point range, scored 24 points.
Walker added 23.
"We wanted to be sure Walker and Pierce were drivers so we
could bring them in to our big guys," Spurs guard Terry Porter
said. "We didn't want them to get good looks." halftime.
The Spurs took control of the game midway through the third
quarter when they built a 74-47 lead.
Walker led the Celtics with 23 points.
Game notes
Spurs guard Terry Porter is within 15 points of becoming
only the seventh NBA player to reach 15,000 points, 6,000 assists
and 1,000 steals since assists became an official statistic in
1973. ... The Spurs lead the NBA with a 40.8 three-point field goal
percentage. Five Spurs – Porter, Danny Ferry, Sean Elliott, Steve
Kerr and Antonio Daniels – all are hitting more than 40 percent.
... With 23 points Friday night, Antoine Walker became the 17th
player in Boston Celtics history to reach 7,000 points. He now has
7,007. Walker became only the sixth Celtics player to reach that
level in five years or less – the others being Dave Cowens, John
Havlicek, Robert Parrish, JoJo White and Larry Bird.
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ALSO SEE
NBA Scoreboard
Boston Clubhouse
San Antonio Clubhouse
RECAPS
Sacramento 119
Toronto 118
Indiana 92
Cleveland 90
Phoenix 88
New York 84
Philadelphia 99
Detroit 78
Minnesota 122
Golden State 83
Houston 105
Orlando 95
Milwaukee 93
Vancouver 81
San Antonio 100
Boston 82
Utah 96
Seattle 84
LA Lakers 113
Atlanta 106
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