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Spurs look to continue dominance of Celtics

Mar 17, 2007 - 4:05 PM Boston (19-46) at San Antonio (46-19) 8:00 pm EST

SAN ANTONIO (Ticker) -- The San Antonio Spurs want to avoid back-to-back losses against two of the league's worst teams. Luckily, they're facing an opponent they have dominated in recent years.

The Spurs aim for their 19 straight win over the Boston Celtics when the two teams meet Saturday.

San Antonio had its season-high 13-game winning streak snapped in a 101-90 loss to lowly Milwaukee on Thursday. Now, the Spurs will take on the struggling Celtics, who hold the league's second-worst record.

San Antonio hopes to continue a remarkable run against Boston. The Spurs have not lost to the Celtics since January 8, 1997, and they have not dropped a game to Boston at home since February 14, 1990 - which spans 16 games.

Superstar forward Tim Duncan, a key cog in the Spurs' three championships in recent years, has never lost to the Celtics since being drafted first overall in 1997. The All-Star big man has averaged 22.3 points and 11.2 rebounds in seventeen straight victories over Boston.

In its last contest, Boston played well but suffered a 106-101 loss to league-leading Dallas on Friday. The Celtics blew a 10-point halftime lead, despite a red-hot start. Paul Pierce had 29 points, Gerald Green added a career-high 25 and Al Jefferson collected 20 and 10 rebounds.

Boston (19-46) had won six of its last nine games, hurting its shot in the race for most Ping-Pong balls in the upcoming Draft Lottery. Memphis (16-50) holds the league's worst record and is the only other squad yet to reach 20 wins.