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Spurs look for improved play against Sixers

Jan 14, 2008 - 2:52 PM SAN ANTONIO (Ticker) -- The San Antonio Spurs haven't been playing well in recent weeks, but the defending NBA champions have plenty of time before the playoffs.

The Spurs host the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday in their third straight home game.

Aside from looking to improve one of the league's best home records, San Antonio also is hoping to get back to the .500 mark in a 16-game run that followed a 17-3 start.

"Actually, the last probably 10-15 games I felt like we could have played better," Spurs guard Manu Ginobili said. "We are just not playing well."

Despite losing Ginobili for five games with a finger injury and going just 7-8 in their last 15 contests, the Spurs still are just one game behind Dallas in the Southwest Division.

The 76ers have lost six consecutive games, including a 100-97 home decision to Chicago on Friday.

"The ball is just not falling our way right now," Philadelphia point guard Andre Miller said. "We've played some good teams and we have to make some shots, play good defense and continue to fight through this."

Philadelphia, which has scored less than 100 points in 14 of its last 16 games, is 11-24 all-time at San Antonio.

The Spurs are 19-1 at home in their last 20 games with the Sixers. The lone loss in that span was an 83-77 defeat on January 3, 2004 that snapped the San Antonio's 16-game home winning streak in the series.