|
|
|
|
|
|
San Antonio Spurs 104, Milwaukee Bucks 83
Milwaukee, WI Dec. 4 / Wire Reports --
Even on tired legs, the San Antonio Spurs were too much for the Milwaukee Bucks.
San Antonio cruised past the outmanned Bucks 104-83 Saturday night behind Tim Duncan's 20 points, a balanced, productive
offense and a stingy-as-usual defense despite playing for the fourth time in five days and less than 24 hours after a
hard-fought, last-second win over Detroit.
"Professionalism," coach Gregg Popovich said after his team improved to 15-3 for the best start in franchise history. "I'm a
fortunate guy. I've got a group of guys who are of the age that it's important to them every night. They really do believe
it's their job. And I don't have to convince them or fire them up or do anything like that.
"So, it's a compliment to their character more than anything."
The Spurs shot 57 percent from the floor and got 13 points apiece from Tony Parker, Beno Udrih and Devin Brown and 12 from
Manu Ginobili in winning their NBA-best seventh straight game.
The Spurs looked tired and slow at first, but still were more energetic and quicker than the Bucks, who lost for the ninth
time in 10 games despite the return of Joe Smith (hip, groin) from a three-game absence.
"We were tired, definitely," Ginobili said. "We got here at 3 a.m. It's not easy after a big effort like (Thursday night)
against Detroit. After five or six minutes that we started slow, things started going well. We started making big shots. And
our defense was very efficient."
As usual.
Smith scored 10 points in 23 minutes, but the Bucks were without forward Keith Van Horn, who hurt his right ankle in
practice.
That's been the problem with the Bucks all season: they can't get healthy enough to get any rhythm.
"It seems like we get one healthy, one goes down," Smith said.
Desmond Mason led Milwaukee with 18 points and Michael Redd had 15.
Shooting 67 percent, the Spurs took control in the second quarter and built a 48-40 halftime lead on the strength of 12
points from Duncan and 10 from Ginobili. It was still an eight-point game midway through the third quarter when Udrih scored
nine points during a 17-8 run the Spurs used to erase any doubt.
San Antonio shot 74 percent in the third quarter to stretch the lead to 80-60, and the Bucks never got closer than 18 in the
fourth quarter.
"I thought it was going to be a lot tougher game, but we found a way to kind of pull it away," Duncan said.
The Bucks fell to 4-10 but are holding out hope that once healthy, they can get better.
"Stay focused -- you've got to," guard Mike James said. "This is our profession. Ain't no point in giving up now. I've known
teams that have started worse than this and ended up in the playoffs."
| |
|
|
|
|
|
