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Duncan, Parker lead Spurs over Timberwolves

Dec 14, 2006 - 3:53 AM SAN ANTONIO (Ticker) -- Tim Duncan got help from his backcourt, while fellow All-Star Kevin Garnett did not.

Duncan scored 24 points on 11-of-18 shooting as the San Antonio Spurs posted a 95-82 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Tony Parker had 23 points and backcourt mate Manu Ginobili added 12 for San Antonio, which has won six of its last seven games.

Parker and Ginobili combined to shoot 13-of-28 from the field in support of Duncan as the Spurs outscored the Timberwolves, 21-7, in the last 10 minutes of the game.

"We tried about 40 pick-and-roll schemes to stop Parker, but he got in there and made some tough shots," Timberwolves coach Dwane Casey said.

Duncan and Parker each scored six points in that span for San Antonio, which held Minnesota to 11 fourth-quarter points.

"To put it together defensively like that will pay dividends in the long run," Duncan said. "I think we need to get back to being a defensive ballclub."

"We started blitzing, rotating and making them make mistakes, which really helped us," Ginobili added.

Garnett and Mark Blount each scored 19 points for the Timberwolves, who received just 10 points from their starting backcourt of Mike James and Ricky Davis.

Davis, who had averaged 19.8 points in his last five games, was just 1-of-7 from the field for four points and committed four turnovers before fouling out with 4:50 to play.

"The Spurs were working hard helping on defense, trapping, clogging," Casey said. "Our guards needed to do a better job of getting open in the second half."

Rookie Randy Foye added 15 points off the bench for Minnesota, which shot 47 percent (33-of-70) but made just four field goals in the final quarter.

"They did a good job of not letting our point guards get the ball, and when they did there was only 15 seconds or so left (on the shot clock)," Foye said. "It wasn't enough time to get the offense going."

The Timberwolves have lost six straight to the Spurs in San Antonio.

"It was a satisfying win because it was against a very good basketball team," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "It was a big-time defensive effort without a doubt."