|
RECAP
|
BOX SCORE
|
GAME FLOW
SAN ANTONIO (AP) -- Antonio Daniels and the San Antonio Spurs
foiled Houston's plan.
Daniels scored a career-high 26 points as San Antonio defeated
Houston 103-95 Tuesday night. The Spurs, winners of five of their
last six, have beaten the Rockets nine straight times.
Daniels, filling in at the starting point guard position for the
injured Avery Johnson, also finished with 10 assists.
"Our game plan was to let Antonio shoot," Houston guard Steve
Francis said. "We left him wide open and he was making everything.
Every time we would make a run, Daniels would be right there to hit
a big shot."
Tim Duncan had 20 points and 13 rebounds, David Robinson added
17 points and 12 rebounds and Derek Anderson scored 11 points for
the Spurs.
"This is definitely the best I've felt offensively all
season," said Daniels, who shot 8-for-13 from the field. "We got
in a groove offensively and didn't let up. When we get into the
open court we're tough to stop and that's what we did tonight."
Francis scored 21 points and Cuttino Mobley added 17 for
Houston.
"Antonio Daniels had a phenomenal shooting game," Houston
coach Rudy Tomjanovich said. "The other guys played well, but he
was big, he was the difference. We had only 12 turnovers tonight
but they scored 20 points off of them and he was a big part of
that."
Leading 63-59, San Antonio went on a 23-13 run for an 86-72 lead
after three periods. Anderson, held in check in the first half,
scored nine of his 11 points during the decisive run for San
Antonio.
San Antonio took its largest lead of the game, 90-72, with 10:58
left on a basket by Malik Rose.
Houston, which lost its fifth straight, closed within 97-89 on a
3-pointer by Walt Williams with 4:59 remaining.
Daniels answered with a 3-pointer 30 seconds later to give San
Antonio a 100-89 lead with 4:29 to play.
A 6-0 run pulled Houston within 101-95 with 1:07 left, but
Daniels' driving layup with 33.1 seconds remaining sealed the win
for the Spurs.
"After all the Christmas naps, there are no bad wins," said
San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich, who missed most of the game after
being ejected with two technicals with six seconds remaining in the
first quarter. "Antonio Daniels had a good game, he kept things
rolling for the team with his great scoring and effort."
Houston, which shot 55 percent in the first half, trailed 56-50
at halftime. Robinson had 14 points and nine rebounds at the break.
Francis and Mobley combined for 31 first-half points.
"Antonio Daniels had an incredible night," Duncan said. "He
kept up his excellent play all night. He did a great job of making
decisions in the open court."
Behind the speed of Daniels, San Antonio had 21 fast break
points compared to only 12 for the Rockets.
"All wins are big and the cream rises to the top," Rose said.
"Come playoff time we will be at the top."
Game notes
San Antonio leads its all-time series against Houston, 70-69,
including playoffs. ... With his double-double, Duncan has 177 in
234 regular-season games, the most of any NBA player in that span.
... Houston had a three-game road winning streak snapped.
|
|
ALSO SEE
NBA Scoreboard
Houston Clubhouse
San Antonio Clubhouse
RECAPS
Charlotte 115
Cleveland 110
Detroit 101
Boston 96
Atlanta 81
New Jersey 76
Dallas 114
Seattle 93
Milwaukee 89
Orlando 77
Minnesota 100
Toronto 97
San Antonio 103
Houston 95
Denver 109
LA Clippers 108
Philadelphia 97
Utah 91
Phoenix 97
Vancouver 95
FROM
ATHLETESDIRECT
Rudy Tomjanovich Official Site
|
