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Duncan, Spurs take their show on the road

Oct 31, 2007 - 1:36 PM San Antonio (1-0) at Memphis (0-0) 8:00 pm EDT

MEMPHIS, Tennessee (Ticker) -- Already off on a winning note, the San Antonio Spurs visit the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday.

In Tuesday's season opener, Tim Duncan registered 24 points and 13 rebounds as the Spurs began defense of their title with a 106-97 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers.

The victory came just hours after Duncan inked a two-year, $40 million extension to stay with the Spurs, who are seeking their fifth championship in 10 seasons under coach Gregg Popovich.

"To have signed this extension and hopefully end my career year, that's the biggest part of it," said Duncan, who was taken No. 1 overall out of Wake Forest in 1997.

Reigning NBA Finals MVP Tony Parker scored 19 points for San Antonio, which captured its first seven outings away from the AT&T center en route to a 27-14 road record last season.

Memphis makes its season debut with a healthy Pau Gasol in the lineup after missing the first 22 games of the 2006-07 campaign with plantar fasciitis.

Gasol along with newcomers rookie Mike Conley Jr., Darko Milicic and Juan Carlos Navarro should give the Grizzlies a good chance of ending their six-game losing streak in openers.

Finishing just 22-60 a season ago, Memphis hopes to get out to a stellar start under first-year coach Marc Iavaroni.

Rudy Gay and Mike Miller both will provide offensive punch for Memphis, which went 1-3 against San Antonio last season.