ducks
12-06-2005, 11:08 PM
Miami (10-8) at San Antonio (14-3)
Preview - Box Score - Recap
Game Info: 9:00 pm EST Wed Dec 7, 2005
TV: ESPN Add to Calendar
Buy Tickets
If the Miami Heat wish to avoid closing their five-game road trip with a third straight loss, they'll have to win in a city where their only victory came nine years ago.
The Heat look to snap a seven-game losing streak in San Antonio when they take on the Spurs in a meeting between division leaders.
Miami has never won in three visits to the SBC Center and is 1-17 all-time in San Antonio. The team posted its only road victory over the Spurs on Dec. 23, 1996 at the Alamodome.
San Antonio is tied with Cleveland and the Los Angeles Clippers for the league's best home record at 7-1.
The Heat opened their road trip with wins over Atlanta and Sacramento, teams with a combined 9-24 record, before losing back-to-back contests to Denver and the Clippers.
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Dwyane Wade had 29 points and 12 rebounds and Alonzo Mourning, continuing to fill in admirably for an injured Shaquille O'Neal, added 17 points, 12 boards and four blocks in Monday's 99-89 loss to the Clippers.
O'Neal hasn't recovered from a sprained right ankle that has kept him out of all but two games this season. He could practice this week, but probably won't return to game action until next week at the earliest.
Miami trailed by three points after three quarters on Monday but was held to 14 in the fourth -- all scored by Wade or Mourning. Antoine Walker went scoreless for only the second time in his career on 0-for-10 shooting.
Mourning, though, was more unhappy with his team's defensive performance. The Heat forced just 12 turnovers, allowed the Clippers to shoot 49.4 percent (38-for-77) from the field and watched Elton Brand score 37 points.
"Our lack of defense was the factor that made the difference," Mourning said. "We didn't stop their offensive drives. We were scoring and we made enough plays to win the game on the offensive end. We're a better defensive team than what we're showing, and we're hurting ourselves."
Miami is forcing an Eastern Conference-low 12.2 turnovers per game, and now faces a San Antonio team which leads the league in field-goal shooting at 48.1 percent.
The Spurs extended their winning streak to four and won for the ninth time in 10 games with a 110-85 rout of Orlando on Monday night.
Tim Duncan had 26 points, 12 rebounds and five blocks, and Tony Parker added 20 points and seven assists.
Robert Horry scored a season-high 18 points off the bench to help the defending champions' reserves outscore the Magic's bench 45-21.
"(Horry's) been coming in and scoring and he really knows how to play basketball," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "The basketball IQ for the team really goes up when he's on the court."
Manu Ginobili returned to the lineup after missing two games with a bruised right ankle and finished with four points and four assists in 21 minutes.
Updated on Tuesday, Dec 6, 2005 12:43 pm EST
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Team Comparison
Team Record Standings PF PA Road/Home Streak L10
Miami 10-8 1st Southeast / 3rd East 96.7 93.2 Road 3-6 Lost 2 5-5
San Antonio 14-3 1st Southwest / 1st West 98.2 90.1 Home 7-1 Won 4 9-1
Miami Notes
Dec 6 Miami scored just 14 points in the fourth quarter. ... C Alonzo Mourning recorded his sixth double-double with 17 points and 12 rebounds but made just 3-of-10 from the free throw line. ... The Heat have lost twice in their last 16 December games. ... G Jason Williams matched his season high with nine assists after he failed to collect any in Saturday's loss to Denver. ... F Antoine Walker missed all 10 shots from the floor, including six from the arc, and did not score in 18 minutes. ... Miami led by 11 points in the first quarter. ... G Dwyane Wade was selected Eastern Conference Player of the Week on Monday.
San Antonio Notes
Dec 6 G Manu Ginobili scored four points in 20 minutes in his return after missing two games with an ankle injury. ... San Antonio held an 40-28 advantage for points in the paint. ... F-C Tim Duncan had five of the Spurs season-high 10 blocked shots. ... All of San Antonio's seven offensive rebounds came after intermission. ... F Robert Horry shot 3-of-5 from long range.
Preview - Box Score - Recap
Game Info: 9:00 pm EST Wed Dec 7, 2005
TV: ESPN Add to Calendar
Buy Tickets
If the Miami Heat wish to avoid closing their five-game road trip with a third straight loss, they'll have to win in a city where their only victory came nine years ago.
The Heat look to snap a seven-game losing streak in San Antonio when they take on the Spurs in a meeting between division leaders.
Miami has never won in three visits to the SBC Center and is 1-17 all-time in San Antonio. The team posted its only road victory over the Spurs on Dec. 23, 1996 at the Alamodome.
San Antonio is tied with Cleveland and the Los Angeles Clippers for the league's best home record at 7-1.
The Heat opened their road trip with wins over Atlanta and Sacramento, teams with a combined 9-24 record, before losing back-to-back contests to Denver and the Clippers.
ADVERTISEMENT
Dwyane Wade had 29 points and 12 rebounds and Alonzo Mourning, continuing to fill in admirably for an injured Shaquille O'Neal, added 17 points, 12 boards and four blocks in Monday's 99-89 loss to the Clippers.
O'Neal hasn't recovered from a sprained right ankle that has kept him out of all but two games this season. He could practice this week, but probably won't return to game action until next week at the earliest.
Miami trailed by three points after three quarters on Monday but was held to 14 in the fourth -- all scored by Wade or Mourning. Antoine Walker went scoreless for only the second time in his career on 0-for-10 shooting.
Mourning, though, was more unhappy with his team's defensive performance. The Heat forced just 12 turnovers, allowed the Clippers to shoot 49.4 percent (38-for-77) from the field and watched Elton Brand score 37 points.
"Our lack of defense was the factor that made the difference," Mourning said. "We didn't stop their offensive drives. We were scoring and we made enough plays to win the game on the offensive end. We're a better defensive team than what we're showing, and we're hurting ourselves."
Miami is forcing an Eastern Conference-low 12.2 turnovers per game, and now faces a San Antonio team which leads the league in field-goal shooting at 48.1 percent.
The Spurs extended their winning streak to four and won for the ninth time in 10 games with a 110-85 rout of Orlando on Monday night.
Tim Duncan had 26 points, 12 rebounds and five blocks, and Tony Parker added 20 points and seven assists.
Robert Horry scored a season-high 18 points off the bench to help the defending champions' reserves outscore the Magic's bench 45-21.
"(Horry's) been coming in and scoring and he really knows how to play basketball," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "The basketball IQ for the team really goes up when he's on the court."
Manu Ginobili returned to the lineup after missing two games with a bruised right ankle and finished with four points and four assists in 21 minutes.
Updated on Tuesday, Dec 6, 2005 12:43 pm EST
Email to a Friend | View Popular
Team Comparison
Team Record Standings PF PA Road/Home Streak L10
Miami 10-8 1st Southeast / 3rd East 96.7 93.2 Road 3-6 Lost 2 5-5
San Antonio 14-3 1st Southwest / 1st West 98.2 90.1 Home 7-1 Won 4 9-1
Miami Notes
Dec 6 Miami scored just 14 points in the fourth quarter. ... C Alonzo Mourning recorded his sixth double-double with 17 points and 12 rebounds but made just 3-of-10 from the free throw line. ... The Heat have lost twice in their last 16 December games. ... G Jason Williams matched his season high with nine assists after he failed to collect any in Saturday's loss to Denver. ... F Antoine Walker missed all 10 shots from the floor, including six from the arc, and did not score in 18 minutes. ... Miami led by 11 points in the first quarter. ... G Dwyane Wade was selected Eastern Conference Player of the Week on Monday.
San Antonio Notes
Dec 6 G Manu Ginobili scored four points in 20 minutes in his return after missing two games with an ankle injury. ... San Antonio held an 40-28 advantage for points in the paint. ... F-C Tim Duncan had five of the Spurs season-high 10 blocked shots. ... All of San Antonio's seven offensive rebounds came after intermission. ... F Robert Horry shot 3-of-5 from long range.