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Spurs reach 50 wins in victory over Cavs

Mar 3, 2011 - 4:17 AM Cleveland, OH (Sports Network) - George Hill finished with 22 points and the San Antonio Spurs topped Cleveland, 109-99, to become the first NBA team to reach 50 wins this season.

It marked the 12th straight 50-win season for the Spurs (50-11), tying them with the Los Angeles Lakers for the all-time record. The Lakers posted 12 50- win seasons from 1979-80 through 1990-91.

DeJuan Blair posted 14 points and 10 rebounds while Tim Duncan added 16 points, six assists and three blocks in the win, San Antonio's fourth in five games.

"[Hill] came out tonight a little more comfortable and a little more aggressive," Duncan said. "He played a lot better and we are going to need him with Tony (Parker) out."

Samardo Samuels paced Cleveland with a game-high 23 points and 10 boards. Alonzo Gee added 18 points and seven boards, while Ramon Sessions supplied 14 points and seven assists in the Cavaliers' third loss in four games.

Neither team was able to take control in the first quarter as the Cavaliers held a slim 25-24 margin at the buzzer.

The Cavs opened the second on an 11-4 run, capped by Ryan Hollins' three-point play, to take a 36-28 lead. However, the Spurs scored 11 of the next 12 points to take control.

Hill posted 11 points in the quarter and Gary Neal hit a jumper with 44.9 seconds left to put the game at 57-50. J.J. Hickson's basket in the final seconds cut San Antonio's lead to 57-52 at the half.

San Antonio made nine of its first 13 shots in the third quarter, and used a 23-9 run in that span to widen its margin to 80-61. The Cavs were able to trim their deficit marginally in the final minutes with Samuels' layup and conversion drawing them within 89-72 entering the fourth quarter.

The Spurs' advantage reached 105-80 on a Matt Bonner three midway through the fourth. Later, Christian Eyenga nailed a three to start a 15-0 run, but the Cavs were never able to cut their deficit below 10 down the stretch.

"[The Spurs] don't make a lot of mistakes," Cavs coach Byron Scott said. "They just run their stuff on the offensive end and wait for you to make mistakes on defense."

Game Notes

Samuels set career-highs in points and rebounds...The Cavs ended an eight- game homestand 3-5...The Spurs have won three of the last four meetings in this series, including a 116-92 victory in San Antonio on November 20...The Spurs ended a short two-game road trip 1-1 and will return home, where they have won 21 straight games, for a four-game series against the Heat, Lakers, Pistons and Kings...Neal and Bonner finished with 14 and 13 points, respectively, in the win.