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Pistons beat Heat for ninth straight win
(AP)
Updated: 2005-12-30 14:26
The Pistons led 27-26 after the first quarter, with Billups scoring 12.
Williams and O'Neal each had 11 points.
San Antonio Spurs
Tim Duncan (21) gestures with the number one sign after scoring two of his
17 points to the dismay of New Orleans Hornets David West (30) during
second half NBA basketball action at the SBC Center in San Antonio
Thursday Dec. 29, 2005. [AP] | Detroit was ahead 53-52 at halftime after 14 ties and 13 lead changes.
The Heat led for much of the third, but Hamilton put the Pistons ahead late
in the quarter and his consecutive assists gave them a seven-point lead �� the
largest for either team up to that point �� and they ended the third quarter with
a 79-72 lead.
Spurs hit from outside to oust Hornets
SAN ANTONIO - The San Antonio Spurs learned their lesson against New Orleans
earlier this month �� don't let the Hornets keep it close enough to steal a win.
Michael Finley led five Spurs in double figures with 18 points, and San
Antonio shut down New Orleans' offense after the opening minutes in a 111-84
victory over the Hornets on Thursday night.
The Spurs, who lost to the Hornets on Dec. 18 in Oklahoma City after fading
in the final period, were 11-for-15 on 3s and their lead grew to as many as 32
points in the fourth quarter before both teams emptied their benches.
Finley, still in the starting lineup even after Manu Ginobili's return from a
foot injury, made all four of his 3-point shots and Beno Udrih made both of his
attempts behind the arc.
The Hornets started the same way they finished the earlier win. They made
nine of their first 13 shots �� the last one a 3 by J.R. Smith �� to take a 20-15
midway through the opening period.
New Orleans then missed 10 of their next 11 attempts as San Antonio went on a
20-2 run to build a 35-22 lead after one. Tim Duncan started the run with a
turnaround jump hook, and Manu Ginobili and Finley ended it with consecutive 3s.
After their early success, the Hornets shot 36 percent from the floor
(23-for-64) the rest of the way and committed 17 turnovers.
Duncan added 17 points for San Antonio, which shot 59 percent as a team. Tony
Parker had 16 and Ginobili 14.
Ginobili, who returned Tuesday after missing eight games with a sprained
right foot, said he's slowly playing himself back into shape, though sometimes
it's hard to hold back.
"I am not trying to rush anything right now," he said. "In the first quarter
I pushed my offensive (play). I just wanted to see where I am at now."
David West was the only Hornets player in double figures with 18 points.
Chris Paul, the team's leading scorer at 16.7 points per game, finished with six
on 3-for-12 shooting.
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