Spurs down Clippers, Celtics remain winless
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Shanghai Daily, December 30, 2011
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San Antonio Spurs center DeJuan Blair (center) attempts a shot past Los Angeles Clippers' Mo Williams (left) and Chauncey Billups during their NBA game in San Antonio on Wednesday. The Spurs won 115-90. |
San Antonio squashed some of the hype surrounding the revamped Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday with a 115-90 victory that lifted the Spurs to 2-0 in the new season.
A blockbuster trade for point guard Chris Paul, and the acquisition of starters Chauncey Billups and Caron Butler, created a buzz about the Clippers that only grew after their season-opening victory over Golden State on Sunday.
However, San Antonio brought it crashing back to earth on Wednesday with Manu Ginobili scoring 24 points and DeJuan Blair adding 20. The Spurs shot 56 percent for the game.
San Antonio padded a four-point half-time lead into a 25-point advantage in the third, making 16-of-21 shots to add 38 to its tally.
Tony Parker added 10 of his 14 points in the decisive quarter to go with his nine assists.
At the other end, San Antonio smothered Los Angeles during the second half where it held it to just 36 points.
"Tonight the best part of our game was our defense," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich told reporters. "Shots went in tonight. Some nights they don't drop but the one thing you can control is your defensive intensity."
Blake Griffin led the Clippers (1-1) with 28 points and nine rebounds and four other Clippers finished in double digits, including Paul with 10.
But Los Angeles had trouble defending the wily Spurs who drained 10 three-pointers on the night, including five from Ginobili. Richard Jefferson also made three and finished with 19 points.
"They shot 52 percent from three, it's tough to win like that," Griffin said. "They hit some tough shots, you have to give it to them. We have to make sure we come out on our game after halftime."
In New Orleans, Jarrett Jack had 21 points and nine assists in his regular-season debut, and New Orleans dominated in its home opener, beating the winless Boston Celtics 97-78.
The Celtics are 0-3 for the first time since 2006-07, the season before they traded to bring Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen in to help star Paul Pierce. Pierce has yet to play this season because of a bruised right heel.
The Hornets were without Eric Gordon, who has a bruised right knee.
Jack did not play in the Hornets' season-opening win at Phoenix on Monday night because of a one-game suspension stemming from an arrest for drunk-driving last season. Carl Landry added 20 points and 11 rebounds for the Hornets.
Allen led Boston with 15 points.
Elsewhere in the NBA, it was: Pacers 90, Raptors 85; Cavaliers 105, Pistons 89; 76ers 103, Suns 83; Hawks 101, Wizards 83; Nuggets 117, Jazz 100; Heat 96, Bobcats 95; Thunder 98, Grizzlies 95; and Warriors 92, Knicks 78.
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