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Spurs take Rodeo Road Trip north of the border to face Raptors

Feb 9, 2011 - 4:07 PM (Sports Network) - There are only a few teams in NBA history with stellar starts after 51 games and the San Antonio Spurs became one of them with last night's victory over the Detroit Pistons.

Chicago started 46-5 in 1995-96 and began the following season 45-6. The 76ers opened the 1982-83 campaign with a 44-7 mark and the 1964-65 Celtics won 43 of their first 51 games that year. San Antonio pushed its 2010-11 record to 43-8 on Tuesday at The Palace of Auburn Hills and will try to extend the franchise's best start tonight up north against the Toronto Raptors.

The Spurs have won three in a row and six of seven games, and improved to 3-1 on their 17-day, nine-game "Rodeo Road Trip" with a 100-89 triumph over the Pistons thanks to Tony Parker's 19 points and seven assists. DeJuan Blair added 18 points and 12 rebounds, while Manu Ginobili compiled 13 points, six assists and five boards for San Antonio, which needed a big fourth quarter to pull away. The Southwest Division-leading Spurs are 18-6 away from the Alamo City this season.

"We played better in the second half, and much better on defense in particular," said Parker.

Over the last eight seasons since moving to the AT&T Center, the Spurs combined "Rodeo Road Trip" record is 47-21. Last year, the Spurs went 4-4 on the trip. The best record they have compiled on the trip is 8-1, which was established in 2003. San Antonio will also make stops in Philadelphia, Washington, New Jersey and Chicago on a trek that covers 8,965 miles.

Toronto will begin a four-game homestand tonight versus the Spurs, Blazers, Clippers and Heat, and is 9-15 at Air Canada Centre this season.

After ending an ugly 13-game slide with last Friday's win versus Minnesota, the Raptors fell back into the loss column with Tuesday's 92-74 setback in Milwaukee. Andrea Bargnani registered a game-high 23 points, while DeMar DeRozan contributed 18 points and seven boards for the Raptors, who made 36 percent of their shots and were outrebounded 50-44.

"We just didn't have enough of our starters play well," Toronto head coach Jay Triano said. "We can't afford to have two or three guys have a subpar game. Our margin for error is very small. They contested shots and were physical and sometimes that takes your confidence away."

Leandro Barbosa was the third-highest scorer on the team with eight points.

The Raptors dropped a 104-95 decision to the Spurs at the AT&T Centre back on Jan. 19 this season and have lost 15 of the past 20 meetings between the two clubs. Toronto, however, has won two straight at home in this series.