03-10-2006, 05:00 AM
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Rep Power: 6  Points: 25,811, Level: 70 | | Spurs exploit Nash's absence, end Suns' streak at 11
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Tony Parker (9) scored all of his game-high 29 points in the first three quarters
PHOENIX (AP) -- Steve Nash made a case for another MVP award Thursday night -- without playing a minute.
With the Phoenix playmaker out with a sprained ankle, the San Antonio Spurs ran away with a 117-93 victory, snapping the Suns' 11-game winning streak.
Tony Parker scored 29 points -- all in the first three quarters -- and the Spurs shot 55 percnt in their eighth victory in nine games.
"Steve Nash didn't play, but we'll take it," Parker said. "We're trying to be first in the West.
Nash, who had not missed a game all season, sprained his right ankle in the third quarter of Monday night's victory over New Orleans in Oklahoma City. His backup Leandro Barbosa was out with right groin pain. But the Spurs were wary coming in.
"It has happened so many times that teams without their best player really step up and start playing better," Manu Ginobili said. "It doesn't mean that it was automatic with Steve not playing that we were going to blow them out."
Ginobili added 18 points for San Antonio on 6-for-8 shooting and Tim Duncan scored 16.
The reigning NBA champs shut down the Suns' trademark perimeter game. Phoenix made only 3-of-13 3-pointers to San Antonio's 8-of-19.
Parker's improved outside shooting was on display.
"The one aspect of the game I need to get better as a player is the outside shot," he said. "Obviously I'm working hard, and I know every time I play Phoenix they're going to let me shoot on the outside, and I just try to make them pay."
Boris Diaw had 16 points, nine rebounds and nine assists for the Suns, who failed to reach 100 points for the first time in 23 games. Shawn Marion had 18 points and 11 rebounds and Raja Bell scored 16.
Spurs coach Gregg Popovich knew it wasn't a true test of two of the West's top teams.
"This is one of those games where you don't even want to play the doggone thing," he said. "Their guys aren't there and the win doesn't really show what you can do against a good team."
The Suns' only lead was 2-0. San Antonio scored the next eight points, led by as many as 15 in the second quarter and was up by 79-58 after Parker's 20-footer with 6:18 to go in the third.
Phoenix used a 9-1 spurt to cut it to 81-69 on Eddie House's driving layup with 2:22 to go in the third. But Parker hit a 21-footer to ignite an 8-2 run that put the Spurs up 89-71 entering the fourth quarter. Phoenix never got closer than 16 after that.
"We lost a little spirit. They took our heart out a little bit," Phoenix coach Mike D'Antoni said. "I don't know if that's because we had a lot of guys over on the bench. Who knows why. It doesn't really matter."
Parker scored 18 and Ginobili 14 to lead San Antonio to a 64-50 halftime lead.
The Spurs shot 61 percent in the first half, 6-for-11 on 3-pointers. The Suns made 58 percent, led by Boris Diaw's 14 points on 7-for-9 shooting.
"We tried to come out strong, and that was pretty tough," Diaw said, "because this team is tough and without Steve and L.B. it was even tougher."
Phoenix committed two turnovers in a 9-0 Spurs run that put San Antonio up 50-35 with 8:06 left in the half. A pair of baskets by Tim Thomas cut it to 52-43, but Parker and Bruce Bowen each made a pair of long jumpers and the Spurs led 60-45 2:03 before the break.
Everyone was making jumpers early.
The Spurs made 12 of their first 15 attempts and shot 71 percent (15-for-21) while taking a 38-29 first-quarter lead. The Suns shot 61 percent (14-for-23) in the first, but the difference came on 3-pointers, where San Antonio was 4-for-5 and Phoenix 1-for-4. Ginobili and Parker were a combined 9-for-12 in the quarter for 12 points apiece.
Notes: The Spurs have a history of ending the Suns' winning streaks. They snapped Phoenix's 11-game streak on Dec. 28, 2004, and ended the Suns' franchise-record 14-win streak on Jan. 3, 1993. ... The Suns have lost eight of their last 10 regular-season meetings with the Spurs. ... Diaw has scored in double figures in 14 consecutive games.
| Associated Press |
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