11/06/06 Spurs @ Knicks - Postgame & Comments

Preview:Tim Duncan is back and resembling the form that made him a two-time league MVP.

With a healthy Duncan, the San Antonio Spurs look to wrap up a quick two-game road trip undefeated Monday when they visit the New York Knicks.

The Spurs beat Toronto 103-94 on Sunday, then play at Madison Square Garden before heading home. San Antonio hosts the Knicks on Saturday, quickly wrapping up the season series between the teams.

Sunday's win gave the Spurs (2-1) consecutive road victories away to open the season. Since joining the NBA in 1976-77, San Antonio has never started a season 3-0 on the road.

Duncan had 26 points on 10-of-15 shooting to help the Spurs beat the Raptors, showing none of the affects of the plantar fasciitis that limited him most of last season.

``It's gone. Luckily enough it's gone,'' said Duncan, who won MVP awards in 2002 and 2003. ``I don't wish that on anybody. That's a tough thing to go through. It was a constant pain last year that never really went away throughout the year.''

Duncan averaged career-lows of 18.6 points and 11.0 rebounds, and San Antonio was bounced out of the playoffs in the Western Conference semifinals a year after winning the NBA title.

If Duncan can average 20 points and 10 rebounds like he did for the first eight seasons of his career, the Spurs will again have one of the league's most dominant players.

``It's great to see Timmy moving with that kind of quickness again and knowing that the bank shot isn't far behind,'' Spurs guard Brent Barry said. ``When Tim is playing at that high level we force teams to do so many different things. It allows us to open up the outside of our game.''

San Antonio has won five of its last six meetings with New York (1-2), including a blowout victory in the last meeting at Madison Square Garden. The Spurs led by 31 points after the third quarter before winning 109-96 on Dec. 21, 2005.

That was one of many losses last season for the Knicks, whose 23-59 finish cost coach Larry Brown his job and resulted in GM Isiah Thomas taking over those responsibilities.

Recap:Tony Parker scored 24 points, including five down the stretch to halt New York's frantic comeback attempt, and the San Antonio Spurs held off the Knicks 105-93 on Monday night.

Reserve Brent Barry added 19 points for the Spurs, who blew almost all of a 23-point lead after Knicks coach Isiah Thomas went deep into his bench with his team seemingly out of the game late in the first half.

That nearly worked.

The Knicks used a 20-2 run in the fourth quarter to pull within 92-91 with just over four minutes to play on a jumper by Stephon Marbury, who had the Madison Square Garden fans on their feet after they heavily booed him during a horrendous game Saturday night.

But Parker knocked down a jumper, and after Tim Duncan converted a three-point play, Parker nailed a 3-pointer that gave the Spurs a 100-91 lead with one minute left.

Duncan and Manu Ginobili each scored 15 points and Parker had 10 assists for the Spurs, who won on consecutive days following a victory in Toronto on Sunday. San Antonio made 13 3-pointers, five by Barry.

Marbury scored 18 points and Nate Robinson added 15 for New York, which dropped its third straight following a season-opening victory at Memphis.

Leading by six early in the second quarter, the Spurs held the Knicks scoreless for more than four minutes during a 22-5 burst. Parker had two beautiful [Swearing is not permitted at Clublakers. You must edit this post prior to submitting.] on consecutive possessions, finding Duncan for an alley-oop in transition, then firing a behind-the-back pass in the corner to Barry for a three.

The Spurs led 52-29 with 3:34 remaining in the half. Thomas then sent out four new players who helped the Knicks close the half with a 12-2 spurt that made it 54-41.

That group - with Robinson, David Lee, former Spur Malik Rose, and Mardy Collins joining starter Quentin Richardson - also opened the second half, while players such as Marbury and Eddy Curry watched from the bench. Rose and Collins hadn't even scored this season.

The Knicks got within 11 early in the third quarter before Parker and Bruce Bowen knocked down consecutive 3-pointers to give San Antonio a 62-45 cushion. The Spurs seemed firmly in control from there, leading by 19 early in the fourth quarter before New York rallied.

Notes: Marbury got a mixed reaction from the crowd during pregame introductions. He was frequently booed Saturday during the home opener, when he was 1-for-9 with four points and six turnovers. ... Knicks guard Steve Francis sat out the second half with an injured left ankle. He was hurt after landing on Bowen's foot while making a jumper early in the game. ... Women's boxing champion Laila Ali watched from a courtside seat. She makes her Madison Square Garden debut Saturday night on the undercard of the Wladimir Klitschko-Calvin Brock heavyweight bout, and has said she expects her father, Muhammad Ali, to attend.

Vash wrote:We need to start winning at home. Hopefully Marbury will react positively to getting booed and lead the team to victory.