The AP reports: Chris Paul found an unconventional way to deliver a knock-out blow to one of the better defensive teams in the NBA. With New Orleans clinging to an 87-86 lead over San Antonio, Paul split two defenders on the dribble and heaved up a wild, inaccurate shot from behind well behind the 3-point line as he was being fouled by Manu Ginobili. The result was three free throws for Paul, who calmly made them all with 7.1 seconds left, helping the depleted Hornets hold on for a 90-86 victory over the Spurs on Sunday night… Paul finished with 26 points and West scored 23 points to go with 16 rebounds. West made all 11 of his free throws and Paul made all nine of his… Tony Parker led San Antonio with 20 points. Tim Duncan had 19 points and 15 rebounds and Ginobili added 17 points.
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Spurs roll over Clippers to win 3rd straight
The AP reports: The Big Three were back together for a blowout. Yep, the San Antonio Spurs were glad to finally see one of these again. Reuniting Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili for the first time since the All-Star break, the Spurs celebrated with an easy 111-98 romp over the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday night. It also was San Antonio’s most comfortable win in weeks. Parker had 18 and Ginobili had 14 before they and Duncan, who had 13, kicked back for most of the fourth quarter. They watched the Spurs win their third straight before, and now start the final 10 games finally healthy with a slim lead for the No. 2 seed in the West.
Fabricio Oberto out 2 games
The San Antonio Spurs today announced that Fabricio Oberto will miss the team’s next two games (3/27 vs. L.A. Clippers and 3/30 at New Orleans) due to atrial fibrillation.
Yesterday Oberto felt abnormal sensations in his chest. After being seen by the team’s medical staff he had an EKG which confirmed he was experiencing atrial fibrillation. He then underwent a cardioversion which restored his heart to its normal rhythm.
Over the next four days Oberto will receive daily EKG exams to confirm that his heart maintains its normal rhythm. Barring any unforeseen complications, he is expected to be available for the Spurs-Thunder game on 3/31.
NBA rule change on too many players on court
The NBA Board of Governors voted to approve a playing rules change in regards to “too many players on the court”, which will take effect beginning Friday, March 27.
Under the playing rules change, when a “too many players on the court” violation is called, a technical foul will be assessed against the offending team and the non-offending team will have the option of either accepting or nullifying the game action that occurred during the violation.
Option 1 — Accept Game Action
The non-offending team can opt to ACCEPT all play that occurred during the violation, including any points scored, with no adjustment of the game clock.
Option 2 — Nullify Game Action
The non-offending team can opt to NULLIFY all play that occurred during the violation, other than any acts of unsportsmanlike conduct or flagrant fouls or any points scored from free throws as a result of such actions.
Under this option, following the technical foul, the game clock would be reset to the time when the ball was put into play with too many players on the court and, depending on how the ball was originally put into play, play would resume in accordance with the following:
1) If the original play commenced with a throw-in, then the ball would be returned to the original throw-in spot and play commenced with a throw-in.
2) If the original play commenced with a missed free-throw attempt where the ball remained in play, then play would be commenced with a jump ball held at center court between any two players who were on the floor at the time play was suspended due to the violation.
3) If the original play commenced with a jump ball, then play would be commenced with a jump ball held at the original jump-ball spot between the same two players who participated in the original jump ball.
Parker has 42, Spurs beat Hawks 102-92
The AP reports: Tony Parker spent the past month scoring big to compensate for the absence of Manu Ginobili. With Ginobili back, Parker picked up his scoring even more to help the San Antonio Spurs win without Tim Duncan. Parker scored 42 points and the Spurs ended Atlanta’s eight-game home winning streak with a 102-92 victory on Wednesday night… Joe Johnson had 30 points, including Atlanta’s first 11 points of the fourth quarter, but he had too little help as the Hawks suffered their first loss at Philips Arena since March 1… Ginobili had two points in 13 minutes as he returned in a limited role after missing 19 games with a right ankle injury. Roger Mason had 18 points and Michael Finley added 13 for the Spurs.
Parker scores 30, Spurs beat Warriors 107-106
The AP reports: Gnawed by last-second losses in their previous two outings, the Spurs got redemption when Roger Mason made an 18-footer with 23.9 seconds left and watched Monta Ellis clank a running 3-pointer at the buzzer to escape with a 107-106 win over the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday night. Tony Parker scored 30 points and Tim Duncan scored 13 of his 21 in the fourth quarter, when the Spurs blew a late six-point lead but survived at the end… This one could’ve been another stinger. Ellis missed one chance to win the game on a jumper with 5.9 seconds left but missed, then the shot as time expired. He led the Warriors 27 points.Golden State played again without Jamal Crawford, who missed his fourth straight game in what has become a bizarre subplot with Warriors coach Don Nelson. In the past week, Crawford has been benched, allowed back, and benched himself—all while being perfectly healthy.
Rockets stun Spurs to claim division lead
The AP reports: Knocking the Spurs from first place in the Southwest Division for the first time since January, Houston capped a furious fourth-quarter rally when Yao Ming fired a perfect pass to Luis Scola underneath with 11.9 seconds left to stun San Antonio 87-85 on Sunday. Ron Artest scored 24 as Houston won its fourth straight and headed to Utah with a half-game division lead over the Spurs. Not since Christmas have the Rockets enjoyed at least a share of first place… Tim Duncan scored 23 points and Tony Parker had 22 and 12 assists for the Spurs, who had appeared to start pulling away midway through the fourth before the Rockets embarked on a 10-2 run.
Duncan sits as Spurs beat Wolves 93-86
The AP reports: Thinking already about the playoffs, Tim Duncan took the night off against a team the San Antonio Spurs won’t have to worry about once they get there. Resting his sometimes troubled knees in the final game of a back-to-back for San Antonio, Duncan watched from the bench as Tony Parker scored 24 points and carried the Spurs to a 93-86 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday night… Sebastian Telfair and Kevin Love had 17 points apiece for Minnesota. Roger Mason had 15 points for the Spurs, who now await a bigger test Friday at home against the Boston Celtics. Against Northwest Division-worst Oklahoma City on Monday, the Spurs blew a 17-point lead. The Spurs struggled again early against Minnesota—only a game better than the Thunder—before putting the Wolves away in the fourth.
Thunder spoil Popovich’s 1,000th, beat Spurs 78-76
The AP reports: Gregg Popovich didn’t coach 1,000 games in the NBA without having a few leads slip away on him. Courtesy of the Oklahoma City Thunder, he can add another to that list. Kevin Durant scored 25 points, Thabo Sefolosha added 12 and the Thunder spoiled Popovich’s 1,000th game as San Antonio’s coach by overcoming an early 17-point deficit to beat the Spurs 78-76 on Monday night… Tony Parker scored 28 points to lead San Antonio, and Tim Duncan had 14 points and 12 rebounds. Matt Bonner added 10 points.
Parker scores 28 as Spurs beat Rockets 88-85
The AP reports: Tony Parker scored 28 points, Tim Duncan added 15 points and 12 rebounds and the San Antonio Spurs beat the Houston Rockets 88-85 on Saturday night. Parker also had eight assists and Michael Finley added 17 points for the Spurs, who came up with two defensive stops in the final 15 seconds to beat the Rockets for the 12th time in the last 17 meetings. Ron Artest scored 21 points and Yao Ming had 18 points and 11 rebounds for the Rockets, who’ve lost two straight home games after winning the previous 12… Aaron Brooks scored 18 points for the Rockets, but went 7-for-18 from the field.