Warriors hand Spurs first road loss
(AP)Updated: 2006-11-28 16:06 OAKLAND, Calif. - In a three-day span, the Golden State Warriors handled the top two teams in the NBA in impressive fashion: first Utah, then San Antonio.
"I didn't think I'd be talking after two wins," coach Don Nelson said. "I thought we'd be going through some really hard times."
Exhilarating is more like it.
Jason Richardson scored a season-high 26 points and dunked during a key fourth-quarter run, and the Warriors stopped the Spurs' franchise-best road start at seven wins with a 111-102 victory Monday night.
 San Antonio Spurs' Tony Parker (R) and Tim Duncan watch the game against the Golden State Warriors in the second half of their NBA basketball game in Oakland, California November 27, 2006. [Reuters] |
Tim Duncan had 22 points, 16 rebounds, six blocks and four assists, but had three straight shots blocked by Andris Biedrins midway through the fourth quarter that allowed the Warriors to capitalize on the other end. San Antonio went nearly 3 1/2 minutes without scoring before Brent Barry's 3-pointer with 5:55 left.
After Biedrins' first block in the sequence, the Warriors came up with a loose ball that led to a layin by Monta Ellis to make it 85-82 with 8:37 to play and start a 12-0 spurt that included Richardson's breakaway dunk and one by Ellis. He scored 14 of his 19 points in the final period.
"Put a smile on your face," Ellis said to team president Robert Rowell in the locker room.
Biedrins could tell from his teammates' reactions that he'd accomplished something big. Nelson switched Biedrins onto Duncan after Troy Murphy began the game guarding the eight-time All-Star.
"I realized when I went to the other end and the guys were so happy," the 20-year-old Latvian said. "I think we have a lot of heart on this team.
"I had a lot of responsibility to guard him," he added. "Coach trusts me and I didn't have silly fouls."
San Antonio was trying to become the first team to win its first eight road games in 10 years since the 1996-97 Houston Rockets did it on the way to a 27-14 record away from home. The NBA record is 12 straight to start the season by the New York Knicks in 1969-70.
The Spurs, who haven't been great playing on back-to-back nights, saw their 12-game road winning streak dating to last season end along with a seven-game winning streak against the Warriors.
Golden State outscored the Spurs 34-24 in the fourth quarter.
"The Warriors were great," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "They shot the ball well and had great energy. Defensively we could not stop them. They just had too much for us."
Biedrins finished with 18 points, 15 rebounds, six blocks and four assists for the Warriors, who lost four meetings with San Antonio last season and had dropped four in a row in the series in Oakland. Mike Dunleavy added 20 points and five assists off the bench and Matt Barnes had 13 points, seven rebounds, six assists and three blocks.
Tony Parker had 28 points and seven assists and Michael Finley added 18 points for the Spurs. They looked sluggish at times after winning by 20 points in Seattle on Sunday night.
Duncan, who became only the third Spurs player to reach the 15,000 mark for points in the win over the SuperSonics, shot 9-for-18 in losing for only the fifth time in 35 meetings with Golden State since joining the Spurs in 1997-98.
"Defensively, I thought they were pretty solid," Duncan said. "I had a tough fourth quarter there. I missed a couple of open ones."
Ellis had no assists after passing for seven or more in each of his previous four games. He still played well in crunch time as both teams dealt with being short-handed.
San Antonio guard Manu Ginobili sat in street clothes with a bruised lower back, missing his second straight game after getting hurt Friday night against Dallas. Popovich wasn't sure whether Ginobili would be ready to return Wednesday at Utah.
Golden State was without point guard Baron Davis because of soreness in his right ribs, and forward Mickael Pietrus had the flu.
The teams were tied 50-all at halftime.
|
||
|
||
|
|