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Ginobili returns; Spurs rout Warriors

Dec 5, 2006 - 3:40 AM SAN ANTONIO (Ticker) -- Manu Ginobili returned to the San Antonio Spurs' lineup. His services were barely needed.

Brent Barry scored 18 points, Tim Duncan added 15 and Ginobili handed out nine assists - one shy of his career high - as the Spurs took control in the first quarter, paving the way for an easy 129-89 victory over the Golden State Warriors.

Beno Udrih netted 16 points and Tony Parker and Michael Finley each added 14 for San Antonio, which avenged a 111-102 loss to Golden State a week ago.

The Spurs have won 17 in a row over the Warriors in San Antonio dating to February 14, 1997 - four months before Duncan was drafted.

"It was a great one for us," Duncan said. "We've lost a couple here at home and we've lost to these guys (Warriors) already. We came out tonight and really jumped on them."

Ginobili did not play in the loss at Golden State, missing the last four games with a back injury. He came off the bench Monday and scored six points in 16 minutes as the Spurs eased him back into the rotation.

"I felt so happy to be out there," Ginobili said. "I felt like I was ready to play. I was getting tired of watching lately. I didn't force it too much tonight and that was good. The game turned out in our favor and that's what matters."

Barry highlighted a 15-0 run in the first period with two of his four 3-pointers, including one that capped the burst for a 28-8 cushion with 1:35 left in the opening period. Ginobili handed out three assists during the surge.

"It was great to have Manu back out there," Duncan said. "He was making some great passes, giving us some easy shots. Just as a team, though, I thought we played really well."

San Antonio led, 56-42, at halftime and never looked back. The Spurs used runs of 10-0 and 9-0 in the third quarter to put the contest well out of reach.

"I think it's important that we sustained the way we started tonight more than anything else," Spurs forward Bruce Bowen said. "It's not about blowing a team out or anything like that, but trying to sustain whatever it is you have going at the time. Last game here at home we lost that edge in the third quarter, going up 17 and then the next thing you know it's a two-point ballgame late in the game."

San Antonio nearly squandered a double-digit lead in a 100-98 win over Sacramento on Saturday.

"I knew we were going into a hornet's nest tonight," Warriors coach Don Nelson said. "You just hope that we can just hang around, but not tonight. We were totally dominated. It looked like the pros playing the high school team out there tonight."

Anthony Roberson scored a career-high 21 points off the bench for Golden State, which dropped their third straight game.

"Anthony was our one ray of sunshine tonight," Nelson said. "It just seems like every time I put him in there he plays better and better."