Final
Spurs roll into central Florida to face Magic
Dec 23, 2010 - 3:42 PM (Sports Network) - Owners of the NBA's best record at 25-3, the sizzling San Antonio Spurs will take their winning ways to the road when they pay a visit to the Orlando Magic tonight at Amway Center.The Spurs have won 10 straight games and are aiming for their second 11-game winning streak of the season. They completed a three-game homestand and won for the ninth straight time in the Alamo City with Wednesday's 109-103 victory versus the Denver Nuggets thanks to Gary Neal's career-high tying 22 points off the bench.
"I think that (Neal) has been magnificent," said Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich. "Not just because he's making shots, he rebounds, he sticks his nose in, he's trying to play good defense, he's learning more everyday and he's a coachable kid. He has really been a joy."
Manu Ginobili also had 22 points and Richard Jefferson provided 16 for the Spurs, who are riding their longest winning streak since a 12-game run from Nov. 1 - Nov 24 this season and outscored the Nuggets, 29-14, in the decisive fourth quarter. The Spurs sit just two games ahead of Dallas (23-5) in the Southwest Division and are 9-1 away from the AT&T Center this season.
The Spurs' last loss was a 90-85 defeat at the Clippers on Dec. 1.
Meanwhile, Orlando is caught in a funk, having lost four straight and eight of its last nine games, and is still trying to figure out how to work newcomers Gilbert Arenas, Jason Richardson and Hedo Turkoglu into the mix.
The three combined for 21 points in Tuesday's 105-99 setback to the Dallas Mavericks, while Dwight Howard scored a game-high 26 points and grabbed a season-best 23 rebounds. J.J. Redick netted 21 points and Jameer Nelson added 19 points and six assists in the loss.
"Progression is the key for us right now," Nelson said. "We just got to stay with it. We can't get frustrated."
Howard has notched a 20-point/20-rebound game 28 times during his NBA career and has pulled down 20 or more boards in three straight games. The last player with 20-plus rebounds in four straight games was Ben Wallace, who had five straight outings of 20 or more boards from March 12-20, 2003. . The Magic have dropped three in a row at home and are 9-5 in central Florida this season. They will also host the Boston Celtics. The attendance for the Dallas matchup was 19,057 -- the largest crowd in franchise history.
San Antonio handed the Magic a 106-97 defeat in the Alamo City on Nov. 22 this season and is 13-6 in the previous 19 meetings between the teams. The Spurs, however, are winless in two straight and three of four trips to Orlando.
- SAN ANTONIO: 101
ORLANDO: 123
Final
Dec 23 10:33 PM - SAN ANTONIO: 76
ORLANDO: 97
End of 3rd
Dec 23 10:00 PM - SAN ANTONIO: 53
ORLANDO: 62
Halftime
Dec 23 9:12 PM - SAN ANTONIO: 26
ORLANDO: 28
End of 1st
Dec 23 8:45 PM
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