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Spurs win big against Hawks, but lose Parker

Jan 28, 2010 - 5:20 AM By PAUL J. WEBER Associated Press Writer

SAN ANTONIO(AP) -- The San Antonio Spurs snapped a three-game losing streak by blowing out one of the best teams in the league.

Plenty of reason to feel good about that, but the Spurs could hardly celebrate because on the way to beating the Atlanta Hawks 105-90 on Wednesday night, Tony Parker sprained his left ankle and it's uncertain how long he'll be out.

X-rays were negative, but it didn't look good for San Antonio's star point guard.

"We're going to have to adjust to it," said Tim Duncan, who grabbed a career-high 27 rebounds and scored 21 points. "We're trying to get something going here and then we lose Tony. We'll find a way to get it done."

Parker tumbled to the baseline after a hard drive to the basket in the third quarter, and immediately began writhing on the ground. Television replays showed Parker awkwardly plant his foot during the drive.

Parker left with the same injury that caused him to miss four games earlier this season. He's also been bothered all season by plantar fasciitis in his left foot.

The Spurs will likely know more Thursday about when Parker will be ready to play.

Until then, the Spurs will enjoy the win. It's just the second in their last seven games, and the first in their six-game homestand. Only two more remain before the Spurs hit the road for 3 1/2 weeks for their annual Rodeo Road Trip.

"I thought we made a statement from the start," said Spurs forward Antonio McDyess, who scored 17. "We let ourselves down and we had given games away, just beaten ourselves. But tonight we came out and made a statement."

Joe Johnson scored 31 and Jamal Crawford had 25 points for the Hawks, whose winning streak ended at three games. Josh Smith had 14 points and 16 rebounds.

"They had been struggling of late," Johnson said. "They needed to get (a win) desperately and they came out and acted like it tonight."

The Hawks haven't won in San Antonio since 1997. But this lopsided loss - San Antonio led by as many as 28 in the first half and never trailed - was perhaps worst than expected.

The Spurs entered stuck in their worst slump of the season, having recently betrayed their defensive identity. The Hawks, meanwhile, came in leading their division this late in the season for the first time since 1999.

But Atlanta never really got close in this one.

The Spurs matched a season-high with 66 first-half points and held the Hawks to 40 percent shooting.

"I guess we weren't ready to play," Smith said. "We love that kind of pace, but we weren't ready to play."

Duncan had his first 20-20 game since 2005, and the 20th of his career. His 27 rebounds were also an NBA season high.

Duncan bested his previous career rebounding high of 25, set against Miami in 2003. He made just five of 20 shots and had 10 offensive rebounds.

"I mostly rebounded my own shots and that helps," Duncan said. "Helps a whole lot, so I can just get that out of the way."

George Hill scored 16 points as all Spurs starters were in double figures. That includes Parker, who had 10 points and eight assists before being helped off the court.

Notes: Spurs F DeJuan Blair was selected to play in the Rookie Challenge game Feb. 12, ahead of the NBA All-Star game. Blair joins Detroit's Jonas Jerebko as the only second-round picks on the rookie team. ...The Hawks had beat Dallas and Houston on the road, but were denied their first 3-0 sweep in Texas since 1990-91.