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Sports

Spurs beat winless Wizards 118-92

The Philippine Star

WASHINGTON (AP) – Boris Diaw scored 16 points, Tiago Splitter had 15 points and 12 rebounds and Tony Parker added 15 to help the San Antonio Spurs won their fourth straight over the still-winless Washington Wizards 118-92 on Monday night (Tuesday morning in Manila).

The Wizards are the 12th team in NBA history to start the season 0-12 according to STATS and are six away from equaling the New Jersey Nets' record 0-18 start in 2009-10. In their first 11 games, Washington lost by a total of just 72 points and never by more than 16.

The Spurs had seven players in double figures as they continued their successful road trip. Tim Duncan had 14, Gary Neal 13, Manu Ginobili 12 and Matt Bonner had 11. After winning the first four games of the six-game trip, they're now 8-1 on the road and 12-3 overall.

San Antonio took the lead with eight minutes to go in the first half and ended it on a 20-10 run for a 60-48 lead.

Playing their usual precise offensive game with pinpoint passes and lots of open shots, the Spurs steadily increased their advantage in the third quarter and led 92-70 after three.

San Antonio's largest lead was 29 in the fourth quarter.

The Wizards were led by Jordan Crawford's 19 and Kevin Seraphin with 18.

Washington played without Nene, who in just his second game after missing nine with a left foot injury, played 29 minutes in a double-overtime loss to Charlotte on Saturday. Coach Randy Wittman defended playing Nene nine more minutes than he planned, saying he wanted to play. ''Nene and I have to be on the same (page). I can't feel what he's feeling. When he states that he wants to continue, I trust him,'' Wittman said.

Immediately after Wittman said that Nene was ''a game-time decision,'' the coach walked over to Nene's locker to talk with him. Nene, who was clearly not dressing for the game, walked away without commenting.

NOTES: Duncan was named the Western Conference Player of the Week. In four games, he averaged 22 points and 12.8 rebounds. Coach Gregg Popovich promised to give the 36-year-old Duncan more rest. ''There'll be times this year when we'll sit him back-to-backs. Win or lose, he's not going to play the minutes he played (Sunday).'' Duncan played 41 minutes in the Spurs' double-overtime win over Toronto. According to STATS, this was the first time teams met following double-overtime games since the Clippers and Lakers did on March 25, 2011. ... Washington F Trevor Booker missed his third straight game with a strained right knee. ... Wizards G Shaun Livingston didn't play, but was in uniform. Before the game Wittman said he was ''banged up.'' ... Mark Lerner, part-owner of the Washington Nationals, joined Wizards owner Ted Leonsis at courtside. ... This was the 13th straight win over Washington for the Spurs.

vuukle comment

BORIS DIAW

CLIPPERS AND LAKERS

COACH GREGG POPOVICH

COACH RANDY WITTMAN

DUNCAN

GAME

GARY NEAL

JORDAN CRAWFORD

KEVIN SERAPHIN

SAN ANTONIO

WITTMAN

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