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Spurs get back on track with easy win over Pacers

Mar 22, 2007 - 3:01 AM SAN ANTONIO (Ticker) -- Tim Duncan and the San Antonio Spurs avoided another embarrassing loss.

Duncan had a big first half and the Spurs pulled away in the middle two quarters to post a 90-72 victory over the struggling Indiana Pacers.

With the win, the Spurs avoided their third straight loss against an inferior opponent while sending the Pacers to their 13th loss in their last 14 games.

San Antonio (47-20) had suffered back-to-back losses to lowly Milwaukee and Boston. The Spurs trailed, 22-17, after the first quarter but took command over the next two periods.

Duncan scored 12 points in a 15-2 run by the Spurs in the second quarter that turned a nine-point deficit into a 32-28 lead with 6:14 left before the break. Duncan scored 19 of his 27 points in the first half.

The Spurs put the game away in the third quarter, outscoring the Pacers, 28-13, to take a 70-50 lead.

Francisco Elson scored 14 points and Tony Parker and Matt Bonner each had 10 for the Spurs, who avoided matching their season-worst three-game skid from January 2-5.

Ike Diogu scored 14 points for the Pacers (30-37), who are in a three-way tie with New York (30-37) and Orlando (31-38) for the final playoff spots in the Eastern Conference.