Tim Duncan on song as San Antonio Spurs thrash New Orleans Hornets 93-81: NBA Recap
The San Antonio Spurs notched up another win on Thursday, defeating the New Orleans Hornets at the AT&T Center in San Antonio. The Spurs used some 4th quarter muscle to outgun the Hornets and walk away with a comfortable win even though the match had been closer than the 93 - 81 score line suggests.
Tim Duncan rolled back the years to produce an inspiring display for the Spurs in this game that proved very crucial in the end. The veteran power forward scored a game high 19 points and grabbed 9 rebounds, also the game high, in just around 23 minutes on the court.
Helping Duncan along was another San Antonio veteran, point guard Tony Parker. Parker had 18 points and dished out 7 assists. Tiago Splitter came off the bench for 16 points.
Greivis Vasquez had 16 points and 5 assists in yet another losing effort for the New Orleans Hornets. The Hornets starters didn’t live up to expectations at all in the game and Carl Landry came off the bench for a team high 17 points to save some grace.
The opening period was very even as the two sides matched each other almost shot for shot. There was never a significant gap in the scores and it ended 23 – 22 to San Antonio. An almost identical quarter followed with a slight twist at the end, the Hornets now on top 45 – 44 going into half time.
The intensity picked up after the interval as both teams took a more cavalier approach in the third period. The Hornets went on a 7 – 0 run early, taking their lead to 52 – 48. In response, San Antonio produced an 8 -2 spurt that put them ahead at 59 – 56. A few more skirmishes followed but the Spurs managed to hold onto their slight advantage, heading into the final period up at 71 – 68.
The game got away from the Hornets when it mattered most as San Antonio simply shifted gears and left the away side trailing in their wake. Already ahead, the Spurs went on a 9 – 0 burst that put them in an unassailable position, up 93 – 77 with just 1:32 remaining.
The Hornets could thus only reduce the margin of their defeat before the clock ran out, final score 93 – 81.
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