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Parker helps Spurs to another easy win

Dec 9, 2006 - 3:29 AM SAN ANTONIO (Ticker) -- Tony Parker put things in motion to make it another easy night for the San Antonio Spurs.

Parker handed out a career-high 15 assists and Manu Ginobili and Brent Barry had huge nights off the bench as the Spurs coasted to a 111-82 destruction of the Los Angeles Clippers.

Tim Duncan also registered double-double in just 27 minutes for the Spurs, who have won three times this week by a combined 89 points. They opened the week with a 129-89 victory over Golden State on Monday before cruising to 96-76 triumph at Charlotte two nights later.

Parker triggered the latest rout, using his speed to create easy baskets for his teammates. He had five assists in the first quarter and seven in more in the second period, helping the Spurs build a commanding a 65-43 halftime cushion.

"We just had a fast start. Basically I penetrated and my teammates were open and making shots," Parker said. "They kind of forced me to pass it because they never left me open in the first half and my teammates kept making shots, so I decided to keep passing the ball."

"It happened to be a great night sparked by Tony Parker," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "He set the table well and got everybody involved. He was the reason we got off to a good start and sustained it."

Ginobili scored 22 points and Barry added 16 for the Spurs, who led by as many as 37 points in the second half. The duo combined to make 13-of-17 shots, including 7-of-10 from 3-point range.

Shaun Livingston scored 16 points to pace the Clippers (9-9), who continued to look very little like the team that reached the Western Conference semifinals last season. At 0-7, Los Angeles is the league's lone remaining winless road team.

"There are a lot of things we have to work on right now and one of them is just playing harder than the other team," Clippers coach Mike Dunleavy said. "Not doing that is unacceptable."

Duncan, who had 16 points and 10 rebounds, scored inside with 3:58 left in the first quarter to give the Spurs a 22-12 advantage. Bruce Bowen's 3-pointer with one second to go in the quarter made it 33-22.

Parker had five assists during a 15-4 surge in the second quarter, capped by Duncan's basket that made it 58-37 at the 4:43 mark. During the burst, Parker set up Barry and Michael Finley for wide-open 3-pointers.

"After eight or nine assists I went like, 'Man I still haven't scored a basket,' but I wasn't looking to shoot because they were playing good defense on me," said Parker, who finished with nine points.

"It was a pick your poison for the defense tonight, and when Tony is like that, he is hands down one of the best point guards in the league," said Finley, who scored 13 points on 6-of-8 shooting.

The efficient Spurs shot 53 percent (45-of-85) and made 10-of-24 attempts from the arc.

Things never were competitive in the second half as the Spurs led by at least 20 points. They led by 37 on three occasions, the last time at 103-66 with 6:33 left on a basket by Francisco Elson.

"That was just a good old-fashioned butt-whoopin'," said Clippers guard Sam Cassell, who scored just two points in nine minutes. "That's all that was, like your grandma used to give you when you messed up and knew you were gonna get it."

Elson scored 11 points, contributing to a bench that produced 62 points. Parker was the only starter to play 30 minutes.

Corey Maggette scored 12 points and Chris Kaman 11 for the Clippers, who shot 44 percent (36-of-81) in losing for the 10th time in the last 11 meetings against the Spurs.

"San Antonio is just a better team that us right now and that was really exposed tonight," Maggette said.