Pelicans 94 - 99 Spurs
Final
  for this game

Spurs hand Hornets 10th straight loss

Dec 22, 2012 - 7:38 AM San Antonio, TX (Sports Network) - Tony Parker netted a game-high 25 points and handed out five assists as the San Antonio Spurs topped the New Orleans Hornets, 99-94, on Friday at AT&T Center.

Tim Duncan dropped 15 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, while Manu Ginobili added 13 points and seven assists for the Spurs, who put the brakes on a two- game losing streak. Boris Diaw contributed 12 points, five rebounds and three assists in the victory.

"Tony's had a great year," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "He has stepped up late in games for us and done a great job."

Anthony Davis scored a team-high 18 points on 8-of-13 shooting to go with 11 rebounds, while Greivis Vasquez donated 14 points for the Hornets, who lost for the 10th consecutive game.

Ryan Anderson and Brian Roberts gave 12 and 11 points, respectively, in the setback.

San Antonio jumped out to a quick 12-4 start with just over six minutes gone in the opening quarter and a Parker layup off a nice feed from Ginobilli gave the home team a 19-8 lead with 4:15 on the clock.

New Orleans answered with an 11-0 run and a Davis jam capped the surge, tying the game, 19-19 with 1:41 to go in the first stanza. San Antonio scored the final six points of the frame to lead 26-21.

Anderson drained a 9-foot jumper with 5:07 on the second quarter clock, pulling the Hornets within 42-36, but the Spurs created some separation with a 10-0 run to go ahead, 52-36, with 2:51 to play before the half.

San Antonio led, 54-42, at the break.

The Spurs led by double digits until Davis got on the end of an alley-oop pass from Vasquez and slammed it home to cut the deficit to 64-56 with 6:17 to play in the third frame.

But the home side kept the Hornets at bay and held a comfortable 72-61 margin going into the final quarter.

A 3-point play by Ginobili early in the fourth quarter gave the Spurs an 84-70 advantage, but the Hornets fought back with a 10-0 run to cut the deficit to 84-80 with 5:58 to play.

New Orleans could not get any closer, though, as the hosts held on for the victory.

"The one thing that happens in a situation like that is you use so much energy to get back in the game that when you cut it to four, six or even tie it up, it's just tough," New Orleans head coach Monty Williams said.

Game Notes

San Antonio has won six in a row and 13 of the last 15 matchups between the teams ... The Spurs shot an efficient 51.3 percent from the floor, while New Orleans shot 45.3 percent from the field and just 2-of-16 from 3-point range ... The Spurs outscored New Orleans 25-5 in fastbreak points.






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