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Spurs, led by Duncan crush New Jersey Nets
San Antonio, June 06: Paced by 32 points from two times league MVP Tim Duncan, the San Antonio Spurs crushed the New Jersey Nets 101-89 in the opening game of the NBA championship on Wednesday
San Antonio, June 06: Paced by 32 points from two times league MVP Tim
Duncan, the San Antonio Spurs crushed the New Jersey Nets
101-89 in the opening game of the NBA championship on
Wednesday
Duncan had two points in the opening quarter but was
a dominant force in the second half, sinking 24 points and
adding 20 rebounds as the Spurs drew first blood in the
best-of-seven series to end New Jersey's 10-game post-season
winning streak.
The loss was the first suffered by the Nets since April
26, when they fell in overtime to the Milwaukee Bucks in the
first round.
Chasing their second crown in five years, the Spurs also
received a big effort from David Robinson, who had 14 points,
including a team-best 9 in the first half to keep San
Antonio in touch while Duncan warmed up.
The Nets, who had battled to maintain their edge during a
10-day layoff since sweeping past the Detroit Pistons in the
Eastern Conference Championship, displayed few early signs of
rust.
All-Star guard Jason Kidd gave the Nets the best possible
start, draining the first two shots as New Jersey went on a
6-0 run, prompting Spurs coach Gregg Popovich to call a
timeout.
But Kidd, the engine who drives the Nets, sputtered for the rest of the night to finish with only 10 points.
Despite the urgings of a capacity crowd of 18,797 at the SBC Center, San Antonio never led in the opening quarter but thanks to Robinson, who will retire at the end of the series, entered the intermission level with the Nets at 42-42.
The Spurs opened the second half with a seven-point mini-run with Bruce Bowen and French guard Tony Parker hitting three-pointers to surge ahead 49-42, and they would never trial again. Parker, whose head-to-head battle with Kidd will be one of the underlying sub-plots of the series, contributed a couple of long range three-pointers, adding to the Spurs momentum as they constructed a 16-point advantage with seven minutes left.
The Nets battled back to cut the deficit to nine points but could never duplicate the sparkling basketball they played going into the final, shooting just 37 per cent from the field.
The first NBA finals to feature two teams from the defunct ABA began with a ceremonial tip-off involving two of the best players to appear for the franchises, Julius Erving and George Gervin, both members of the Hall of Fame and named among the 50 Greatest Players in NBA history.
Bureau Report
But Kidd, the engine who drives the Nets, sputtered for the rest of the night to finish with only 10 points.
Despite the urgings of a capacity crowd of 18,797 at the SBC Center, San Antonio never led in the opening quarter but thanks to Robinson, who will retire at the end of the series, entered the intermission level with the Nets at 42-42.
The Spurs opened the second half with a seven-point mini-run with Bruce Bowen and French guard Tony Parker hitting three-pointers to surge ahead 49-42, and they would never trial again. Parker, whose head-to-head battle with Kidd will be one of the underlying sub-plots of the series, contributed a couple of long range three-pointers, adding to the Spurs momentum as they constructed a 16-point advantage with seven minutes left.
The Nets battled back to cut the deficit to nine points but could never duplicate the sparkling basketball they played going into the final, shooting just 37 per cent from the field.
The first NBA finals to feature two teams from the defunct ABA began with a ceremonial tip-off involving two of the best players to appear for the franchises, Julius Erving and George Gervin, both members of the Hall of Fame and named among the 50 Greatest Players in NBA history.
Bureau Report