Game: Spurs vs Hornets

[howard2]

Espn.com
Dec 29, 2005
Link: ESPN (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/preview?gameId=251229024)

New Orleans (12-15) at San Antonio (22-7)
SAN ANTONIO (Ticker) -- Clinging to first place in the Southwest Division, the San Antonio Spurs will aim for their ninth straight win at home when they host the New Orleans Hornets.

Eleven days ago in Oklahoma City, the Hornets surprised the defending NBA champions with an 89-76 victory behind David West's 19 points and a defensive effort that forced 23 turnovers.

Chris Paul finished an assist shy of a triple-double for the Hornets, who will have a tougher time Thursday at the SBC Center, where San Antonio is 13-1.

The Spurs welcomed back Manu Ginobili in Tuesday's 99-86 victory over Indiana. Tony Parker scored 27 points and Tim Duncan added 26 for San Antonio, which got nine points in 13 minutes from Ginobili.

Ginobili returned from an eight-game layoff with a sprained foot and could be back in the starting lineup Thursday.

The Hornets have lost six of their last seven road games but are coming off a 92-90 victory over Houston at home Wednesday.

One of six players to score in double figures, West made a go-ahead jumper with 1.8 seconds left in the comeback victory.

The Spurs had won four straight over the Hornets before the meeting December 18.
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Todays Line
FAVORITE OPEN CUR UNDERDOG O/U
SAN ANTONIO -13 13 NO/OKLAHOMA CITY 180
{The Spurs are favorite, but the Hornets are playing well.}

[howard2]

The Times-Picayune
Dec 29, 2005
Link: Times-Picayune (http://www.nola.com/hornets/t-p/index.ssf?/base/sports-1/1135841604161300.xml)

Streaks: The Hornets had lost consecutive games heading into Wednesday night's game against the Houston Rockets in Oklahoma City. . . . The Spurs have won three of their past four.

Notable: San Antonio had the night off Wednesday. . . . The Hornets beat the Spurs, the defending NBA champions, 89-76 on Dec. 18 in Oklahoma City. . . . The Hornets have lost their past two games at San Antonio's SBC Center.

[howard2]

CBS SportsLine
Dec 29, 2005
Link: CBS Sports-Line[/ (http://www.sportsline.com/nba/gamecenter/preview/NBA_20051229_NO@SA)
{There are some nice graphs down below on this linked page.}

GAME: New Orleans Hornets (12-15) at San Antonio Spurs (22-7).
TIME: Thursday, 8:30 p.m. EST.

The San Antonio Spurs had a slight drop-off with Manu Ginobili out of the lineup for eight games.

Ginobili hopes to play his second game since returning from a sprained right foot as the Spurs try to improve the NBA's best home record when they face the New Orleans Hornets.

San Antonio went 5-3 without Ginobili, the team's third-leading scorer at 14.9 points per game. That's a poor enough mark for the defending NBA champions to consider it a rough stretch.

Ginobili came off the bench in his return Tuesday and scored nine points in 13 minutes in a 99-86 win over Indiana.

Spurs coach Gregg Popovich wasn't saying whether Ginobili would play Thursday.

"His playing is predicated on if he's healthy enough to play and nothing else," he said.

The Spurs were glad to have Ginobili back as they improved to an NBA-best 13-1 at home, where they have won eight straight.

"It was great have him back on the floor," Spurs forward Tim Duncan said. "It has been tough for him to not be out there. He is going to get back into it."

It was an uneven performance for Ginobili, who made 3-of-7 from the field and 3-of-7 from the foul line.

"I don't know when I will get my rhythm back," Ginobili said. "It won't take too long. I was only out two weeks. When you can only get on a bike and you can't get on the floor and play, you lose some rhythm, but hopefully I will be able to get back into it."

Spurs guard Michael Finley has started the last nine games in Ginobili's place, averaging 13.2 points. However, Finley is averaging just 6.3 points on 25 percent shooting over his last three starts.

The Hornets are seeking to win two straight against the Spurs for the first time since sweeping both games in 1991-92. New Orleans won 89-76 at home in the first meeting on Dec. 18.

Duncan matched a season-low with 11 points and shot 4-of-12 in a game that featured a brief altercation between Finley and New Orleans' P.J. Brown.

Feeling he had been fouled by Duncan on a shot block under the basket in the first half, Brown stepped into Finley's path on his way back up the court and was called for a flagrant foul. Finley stepped toward Brown and pushed the ball into Brown's chest as others intervened and the two continued jawing at each other.

The Hornets pulled out a 92-90 victory over Houston on Wednesday. David West scored the go-ahead basket with 1.8 seconds left off a feed from rookie Chris Paul, who notched his career-high 15th assist on the play.

New Orleans has dropped six of its last seven road games.