boutons
12-12-2004, 08:48 AM
San Antonio 116, Cleveland 97
Fast Start Catapults Spurs
SAN ANTONIO, Dec. 11 (Ticker) -- The San Antonio Spurs were so overwhelming in the first half, LeBron James could only tear up the box score and throw it away.
Led by Tim Duncan and Tony Parker, the Spurs shot a staggering 84 percent from the field in the first half and cruised to a 116-97 victory over James and the Cleveland Cavaliers.
After two straight losses, the Spurs rediscovered the form that saw them win eight consecutive games. As they did during their streak, they jumped out to an early lead and never let the Cavaliers get back in it.
"It is unfortunate that they lost their game the other night the way that they lost it," Cleveland coach Paul Silas said. "We had therefore to be the recipient of this tonight."
"We wanted to jump on them early and get the last games out of our minds," Duncan said. "We wanted to come out and play well early and we were able to do that tonight."
In the first half, the Spurs simply could not miss. They made 26-of-31 shots, attempting just one 3-pointer as they conducted a clinic in transition basketball with 17 fast-break points.
San Antonio broke the franchise record for shooting percentage in one half, a .781 mark vs. New York on Dec. 3, 1988. It established season highs in points, baskets (43) and assists (33).
Duncan made 11-of-12 shots in the first half, when he scored 25 of his 34 points. Pressing the tempo, Parker was 4-of-4 and had 15 points and 10 assists as San Antonio raced to a 69-45 lead.
"It was a great floor game by Parker with scoring, assists, good defense," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "He set the tone for everybody and Tim followed. Everybody played a focused game."
One of the few misses by the Spurs was a shot James soared to swat into the stands. After coming out of the locker room at halftime, he sat on the bench staring at the boxscore before tearing through it and tossing it aside.
"They were shooting something like 84 percent at that time from the field," James said. "I have never seen anything like that. Not since my high school days, when we used to shoot like that. I haven't seen anything like that in a long time."
James had another reason to shake his head. With just under five minutes left in the first quarter, he was left swiping at air as the 7-foot Duncan used a crossover dribble in transition and powered through two defenders for a three-point play that gave the Spurs a 19-14 lead.
That was part of a 13-2 run that marked the beginning of the end. San Antonio held a 31-21 lead after one quarter and was even better in the second period, when it made 15-of-17 shots.
"Things were really going down for us in the first half," Duncan said. "When you can get shots like that and knock them down, you will have a pretty good chance."
Bruce Bowen scored 20 points and Parker finished with 18 and 13 assists for the Spurs, who cooled to 66 percent (43-of-65) overall. San Antonio led by at least 14 points in the second half and by as many as 30.
Drew Gooden scored 28 points and James added 23 and 10 assists for the Cavaliers, who fell to 3-30 all-time in San Antonio.
Since taking over the top spot in the Eastern Conference with Tuesday's win over New Jersey, Cleveland has lost twice by a combined 47 points.
"We sometimes come out and are not as aggressive as we should be," James said. "We dig ourselves too much of a ditch to get out of."
Fast Start Catapults Spurs
SAN ANTONIO, Dec. 11 (Ticker) -- The San Antonio Spurs were so overwhelming in the first half, LeBron James could only tear up the box score and throw it away.
Led by Tim Duncan and Tony Parker, the Spurs shot a staggering 84 percent from the field in the first half and cruised to a 116-97 victory over James and the Cleveland Cavaliers.
After two straight losses, the Spurs rediscovered the form that saw them win eight consecutive games. As they did during their streak, they jumped out to an early lead and never let the Cavaliers get back in it.
"It is unfortunate that they lost their game the other night the way that they lost it," Cleveland coach Paul Silas said. "We had therefore to be the recipient of this tonight."
"We wanted to jump on them early and get the last games out of our minds," Duncan said. "We wanted to come out and play well early and we were able to do that tonight."
In the first half, the Spurs simply could not miss. They made 26-of-31 shots, attempting just one 3-pointer as they conducted a clinic in transition basketball with 17 fast-break points.
San Antonio broke the franchise record for shooting percentage in one half, a .781 mark vs. New York on Dec. 3, 1988. It established season highs in points, baskets (43) and assists (33).
Duncan made 11-of-12 shots in the first half, when he scored 25 of his 34 points. Pressing the tempo, Parker was 4-of-4 and had 15 points and 10 assists as San Antonio raced to a 69-45 lead.
"It was a great floor game by Parker with scoring, assists, good defense," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "He set the tone for everybody and Tim followed. Everybody played a focused game."
One of the few misses by the Spurs was a shot James soared to swat into the stands. After coming out of the locker room at halftime, he sat on the bench staring at the boxscore before tearing through it and tossing it aside.
"They were shooting something like 84 percent at that time from the field," James said. "I have never seen anything like that. Not since my high school days, when we used to shoot like that. I haven't seen anything like that in a long time."
James had another reason to shake his head. With just under five minutes left in the first quarter, he was left swiping at air as the 7-foot Duncan used a crossover dribble in transition and powered through two defenders for a three-point play that gave the Spurs a 19-14 lead.
That was part of a 13-2 run that marked the beginning of the end. San Antonio held a 31-21 lead after one quarter and was even better in the second period, when it made 15-of-17 shots.
"Things were really going down for us in the first half," Duncan said. "When you can get shots like that and knock them down, you will have a pretty good chance."
Bruce Bowen scored 20 points and Parker finished with 18 and 13 assists for the Spurs, who cooled to 66 percent (43-of-65) overall. San Antonio led by at least 14 points in the second half and by as many as 30.
Drew Gooden scored 28 points and James added 23 and 10 assists for the Cavaliers, who fell to 3-30 all-time in San Antonio.
Since taking over the top spot in the Eastern Conference with Tuesday's win over New Jersey, Cleveland has lost twice by a combined 47 points.
"We sometimes come out and are not as aggressive as we should be," James said. "We dig ourselves too much of a ditch to get out of."