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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME FLOW
SEATTLE (AP) – Don't expect these San Antonio Spurs to be modest
about their title chances.
"Lately, we've just been commanding games. We've been taking
people out early, building big leads," Sean Elliott said after the
Spurs' 101-73 victory over the Seattle SuperSonics on Tuesday
night.
"I think we're just as good or better" than the Spurs team
that won it all two seasons ago," Elliott said. "We're more
talented, we're deeper."
Tim Duncan led San Antonio with 22 points and David Robinson
added 19 points and nine rebounds. Robinson also had three blocked
shots in a blowout first half that ended with the Spurs up by 24.
"Dave was incredible," Duncan said. "He closed that rim up in
the first half."
Gary Payton led Seattle with 28 points on 12-of-25 shooting. Vin
Baker, with 11, was the only other player in double figures for the
Sonics (31-31), who were without starters Rashard Lewis and Brent
Barry, both out with groin pulls. Baker played with a bandaged left
hand and Ruben Patterson was limited by a bruised shoulder.
"Not having Rashard Lewis and Brent Barry takes away a lot of
their offense," Spurs coach Greg Popovich said. "Not having those
guys out there shooting threes makes it tougher on them."
The point total was a season low for the Sonics.
"Their bigs clogged it up," Seattle coach Nate McMillan said.
"It was difficult for us to get anything in the post, and with
Brent and Rashard out of the game, perimeter shooting just wasn't
there."
The Sonics are all but eliminated from the playoff picture. San
Antonio, meanwhile, has won 18 of its last 22, including Monday's
91-77 comeback victory at Vancouver.
"I think we're as good as anybody, especially when we turn our
defense up like we did here," Robinson said.
"I think we've got a great chance," at going all the way this
season, said Derek Anderson, who had 14 points, including 12 in the
first half. "We've proven we can beat Utah. We've proven we can
beat every team except Portland, and we've got our confidence back
up where we need it to be."
San Antonio plays at Portland on Thursday, followed by a game at
the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday.
"It's huge," Robinson said of the West Coast swing. "Utah's
not letting up at all. We have no room to make mistakes."
The Spurs are a half-game behind the Jazz for the top spot in
the Midwest Division.
San Antonio opened Tuesday's game with an 8-0 run and took a
58-34 lead into the locker room. Duncan and Robinson both scored 11
in the half.
The 34 first-half points also was a season low for the Sonics,
who shot a season-worst 27-of-86, or 31 percent, from the floor.
"If we keep doing these things that we're doing right now, it's
going to be a long season," Payton said. "We just need a little
bit more intensity, a little bit more energy on our team right
now."
Seattle looked befuddled at times, as when Shammond Williams
inadvertently knocked the ball up and into the Spurs' basket while
fighting for a rebound with 7:25 left in the second quarter. The
nearest Spur, Somaki Walker, was credited with a layup.
A few minutes later, Williams lost the handle on an inbounds
pass and kicked it out of bounds with no Spurs player within 5
feet.
"We've got to come with more intensity than we showed
tonight," McMillan said.
Game notes
San Antonio is now 4-4 on the road in the Western
Conference. ... McMillan thinks the Spurs aren't being given their
due. "I think a lot of people have been overlooking them. These
guys won the championship two years ago. They're the forgotten team
now, but they're a team that could possibly win it all." ... The
victory puts the Spurs one up in the teams' all-time series, 52-51.
... Baker came into the game needing one point for a career total
of 10,000. He got it on a leaning, left-handed 3-footer four
minutes into the game. The Key Arena announcer did not inform the
crowd.
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ALSO SEE
NBA Scoreboard
San Antonio Clubhouse
Seattle Clubhouse
RECAPS
Minnesota 95
Charlotte 89
New York 97
Indiana 83
Chicago 87
Cleveland 74
Phoenix 93
Denver 82
Sacramento 98
Toronto 91
Vancouver 105
Portland 97
San Antonio 101
Seattle 73
LA Lakers 97
Golden State 85
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