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Streaking Spurs shut down Clippers

Mar 6, 2007 - 7:54 AM LOS ANGELES (Ticker) -- Tony Parker was missing from the starting lineup, but the San Antonio Spurs didn't miss a beat.

Manu Ginobili scored 16 points to lead a strong bench effort as the Spurs ran their season-high winning streak to nine games with an 88-74 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers.

San Antonio's second leading scorer at 18.7 points per game, Parker was out for the second straight game with a strained left hip.

"We really depend on the group sharing the ball and just do what we do team wise on defense," San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich said. "On offense it is just ball movement and people movement and who ever is on that night we find a way to get the ball to the open man."

Ginobili, Beno Udrih and Michael Finley helped pick up the slack, each reaching double figures off the bench for the Spurs, who got 49 points from their reserves.

"It is true that one player doesn't do it alone. But when Tony is not in there it is even more important to move the ball well and look for the extra pass," Ginobili said. "Tony is great at creating room for everybody with his speed and pick and rolls. So when we don't have it we've really got to get everybody involved and if we play defense like we played tonight we can be relaxed and everything will work out all right."

Ginobili added eight rebounds and four assists while Udrih had 16 points and eight rebounds. Finley had 10 points for the Spurs, who never trailed and led by as many as 20.

"We did get a good effort from the bench," Popovich said. "I thought the defense was very good tonight. Both teams were pretty sloppy offensively but I thought the defense gave us the opportunity to win the game."

The Clippers never got in synch against the Spurs' suffocating defense. Los Angeles shot 38 percent (30-of-80) from the field, including 1-of-9 from the arc.

Corey Maggette scored 19 points and Elton Brand had 15 and eight rebounds for Los Angeles, which had only 49 points after three quarters.

"It was a combination of their defense and us being cold and not hitting shots," Brand said. I was a little surprised. We really wanted to come out and step up to the challenge this was. They've been World Champions and they are just a good ball club. Veteran, savvy ball club that knows where they are supposed to be defensively and their team is very talented."

Quinton Ross left with a hip pointer in the third quarter and did not return for the Clippers, who have dropped 12 of the last 13 meetings with the Spurs. Ross is listed as dot-to-day.

"Their defense is good and has been every night," Clippers coach Mike Dunleavy said. "When you get opportunities you have to make the shots you get in order to keep the game in a position where you can win."