Other Articles in this Category
Most Viewed Stories
Most Commented Stories
Most Recommended Stories
Save & Share this Article
NBA Capsules: Parker scores 17 in Spurs' rout of Wizards
Comments 0 | Recommend 0SAN ANTONIO — Ten days and four games later, the San Antonio Spurs won for what Tim Duncan said felt like the first time in a year and a half.
The Washington Wizards lost another, and after getting blown out for the second time in two nights, the frustration is starting to show.
Tony Parker scored 17 points and the Spurs stopped a three-game losing streak with a 106-84 win over the Wizards on Saturday night. Afterward, San Antonio hoped the win begins the turnaround of what has been one of the most dreary starts in the Duncan era.
"We have to try to get a streak going," Duncan said.
The Spurs hit the 10-game mark with their first losing record since 1996. San Antonio is now 5-6 with five of its next six games at home.
Washington is off to its own dreadful start at 3-9, and after losing for the eighth time in nine games, the Wizards began putting the blame on egos and hidden agendas without calling anyone out by name.
The loss was the worst yet this season for Washington, topping what had been their worst loss Friday night after going down 127-108 at Oklahoma City.
"Everyone's got their own individual goals, I guess. Hidden agendas," guard Gilbert Arenas said. "You can't win like that."
Arenas continued: "I guess when you start losing, everyone wants to start pointing fingers everywhere else. I converted my game to try and get people involved."
It didn't work. Arenas scored 18 points and Antawn Jamison had 15, but the Wizards shot a season-low 33 percent from the field. Arenas shot 7 of 18 but said he could have put up plenty more.
"I think the only person who actually had to sacrifice (to win) was me," Arenas said.
Six of Washington's losses have been by double digits.
"Move the (darn) ball. Play some defense," center Brendan Haywood said.
It was far more relaxed in the Spurs' locker room. Duncan had 16 points and nine rebounds, and Richard Jefferson added 15 points.
Parker played for only the second time in six games after being bothered by a bad ankle.
"I was a little worried. I didn't want to bring him back too early," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "But he had his quickness. I thought he did a fine job out there."
Washington hasn't won in San Antonio since 1999. But unlike Thursday night against Utah, which also hadn't won here in decade, the Spurs kept this streak going.
San Antonio is now looking for a winning streak, and more defense like this will help: The Spurs kept the Wizards below 100 points for the first time in four games, and held an opponent below 90 for only the second time this season.
The usually dependable Spurs defense has been marginal so far, giving up an average of 98.8 points entering Saturday's game. Between shaky defense and injuries — Manu Ginobili is out at least until next week with a strained left groin — the revamped Spurs have not been the power many predicted.
But 5-6 is still where the Spurs were a year ago before going on to win the Southwest Division.
Randy Foye had 10 points, the only other Wizards player in double figures.
San Antonio led 52-40 at halftime, then buried the Wizards with a 22-8 burst to start the third. Duncan, who also had seven assists, scored eight in the quarter, then took a seat the rest of the night.
Matt Bonner scored 12 and Roger Mason had 11 for San Antonio.
To add to Washington's bad news, guard Mike Miller could miss a month after straining his right calf in the first quarter and leaving the game. Washington coach Flip Saunders said trainers thought Miller "might have popped it," and if that's the case, it could be four to five weeks.
"We're very much in a bad situation," Saunders said. "A lot of guys are frustrated, including me."
Notes: The Spurs outrebounded the Wizards 59-44. ...Wizards C Fabricio Oberto had two points and four rebounds against his former team.
Scola, Ariza help Rockets hold off Kings
HOUSTON — The Houston Rockets kept their record clean in second games of back-to-backs. Still, it almost got a little messy in the fourth quarter.
After leading by 15 points in the second quarter and holding a 59-52 halftime edge, the Rockets needed 22 points from Luis Scola and some defense down the stretch to beat the Sacramento Kings 113-106 on Saturday night.
"It was a really hard and long week," Scola said. "We had some good and bad moments. We fought, we played hard. We can't always win pretty but tonight was a huge win for us. We needed a win."
The Rockets moved to 4-0 this season in second games of back-to-backs.
Kyle Lowry had eight assists and hit four straight free throws to ice it.
"We couldn't get it going until the last couple of minutes," Lowry said. "Me and Scola both hit some open jump shots. We finished the game strong. It took us a while to get going. The last time we played them we played sluggish and let them control the game."
The Kings played without rookie Tyreke Evans, who sprained a finger on his right hand diving for a ball Friday night in a 104-102 loss to Dallas He scored 29 points against the Mavericks and is averaging 18.2 points this season.
The Kings had six players in double figures, led by Spencer Hawes with 24 points and Beno Udrih with 18. The Rockets had five players in double figures. Trevor Ariza added 19 for the Rockets.
"I like the spirit and the effort on this team," Kings coach Paul Westphal said. "Everyone should be pleased with the way we're playing. I like the way we compete every night. I'm sorry we couldn't cash in on the effort. This team has heart but we haven't learned how to win."
With the score tied 101-all, Scola scored a go-ahead basket with 3:41 to play. He followed with two rebounds that helped the Rockets stay ahead.
The Rockets led by 59-52 to start the third quarter but the Kings came out shooting 3-pointers, two to start the period by Donte Greene.
Sacramento used an 11-0 spurt midway in the third quarter to take its first lead of the game, 71-69 on a basket by Omri Casspi with 5:40 left in the period.
"You don't give out consolation prizes but all we want are notches in the win column," Hawes said. "They executed better than we did at the end. A lot of guys stepped up tonight but we fell short."
Scola took charge from the beginning, leading the Rockets' hot start with 14 points on 6-for-10 shooting in the period. The Rockets shot 65 percent from the field in the opening period and had their biggest lead at 33-24 to end the period.
The Rockets lost to the Dallas Mavericks in the final second on Friday night.
"That's the good thing about the NBA," Ariza said. "You get a tough loss the night before and you get an opportunity to come back the next night and change the outcome. Once we lost that one, we kind of forgot about it, got on the plane and got here and we got some good rest. We game back and got a win today."
NOTES: The Rockets lost to the Kings 109-100 on Nov. 13 despite having three players in double figures, Trevor Ariza (28), Shane Battier (23) and Luis Scola (20). ... The Rockets had a three-game winning streak early in the season but since then they haven't won more than one in a row. ... Houston has won the last five games against Sacramento in Houston. ... The Kings have scored 100 points in seven of their last eight games. ... Rockets coach Rick Adelman is the winningest coach in Kings history (395-229).
-- Michael A. Lutz
Marv Albert denies altercation with rapper 50 Cent
NEW YORK — Marv Albert said Saturday he was never involved in an altercation with 50 Cent, denying Internet reports of a fight on "Jimmy Kimmel Live."
According to the reports, punches were thrown after members of the rapper's entourage didn't recognize Albert, the longtime sports broadcaster who was appearing as a guest on the show on Wednesday night.
But Albert told The Associated Press he was not even close to the exchange, which he believed was caused when a member of 50 Cent's party was prevented by show security from using a phone in the room that was supposed to belong to Albert.
"I couldn't even tell you what the guy looked like or the security guard looked like," Albert said.
Albert said he even read one account that he was punched by 50 Cent, who was the show's musical guest, but insisted they never crossed paths.
"They embellish. It keeps getting embellished more than anything else," Albert said. "What do you say, it's just wrong."
Albert appeared on the program the night before he called the Lakers' home game against Chicago on TNT. The Los Angeles Times' account of the event, by a writer who was there, describes a scuffle and "a fist or two flying," but never mentions Albert being a part of it.
But the story has changed as it's appeared on blogs in recent days, with Albert saying family and friends are reading accounts that are "completely made up."
"I don't know what tomorrow will bring," Albert added. "It will be Jimmy Kimmel got punched."
Albert said he was told the whole altercation lasted only a few seconds, but it's created a few frustrating days.
"I'm sure this will be funny to me in a couple of days," he said. "It's not funny to me now, obviously."
-- Brian Mahoney
Shaq misses fifth straight game
CLEVELAND — Cavaliers center Shaquille O'Neal is out for Saturday's game against Philadelphia, the fifth straight game he has missed with a shoulder injury.
O'Neal hasn't played since a Nov. 12 win over Miami.
Cavs coach Mike Brown said before Saturday's game against Philadelphia that O'Neal won't play in a game again until he practices. The team is off Sunday and doesn't play again until Nov. 25 at Detroit.
The Cavs are being cautious with O'Neal, who was acquired in an offseason trade with Phoenix. Brown is closely monitoring O'Neal's minutes to try and keep him fresh for the second half of the season and playoffs.
O'Neal has averaged 11.3 points and 6.9 rebounds in nine games.
Hawks' Bibby sprains left ankle
NEW ORLEANS — Atlanta starting guard Mike Bibby sprained his left ankle in the first quarter of the Hawks' game in New Orleans on Saturday night.
Bibby appeared to roll the ankle while coming down from a jump shot about five minutes into the game. Team officials said he would not return.
Bibby came in averaging 10.7 points and 4.2 assists in a little more than 31 minutes a game.
Thunder send Mullens, Weaver to D-League
OKLAHOMA CITY — The Oklahoma City Thunder have assigned rookie center Byron Mullens and guard Kyle Weaver to the Tulsa 66ers of the NBA Development League.
Mullens was drafted by the Dallas Mavericks with the 24th pick in this year's draft before Oklahoma City acquired him that night in a trade. He has yet to play in a game this season.
Weaver, a second-year player, scored 11 points in his season debut Wednesday against Orlando. He also played the final minute of the Thunder's victory Friday night against Washington, when the game was already in hand.
Late Friday
Clips' broadcasters suspended for Haddadi remarks
LOS ANGELES — Clippers longtime play-by-play announcer Ralph Lawler and color analyst Michael Smith were suspended one game by the Fox Sports Prime Ticket cable network for their comments about Memphis center Hamed Haddadi.
Lawler and Smith made their off-the-cuff comments about the Iranian-born center during Wednesday night's telecast from Memphis. The on-air banter offended a viewer who e-mailed Fox to complain.
The duo did not work Friday's night telecast against the Denver Nuggets at Staples Center. Michael Eaves and Don MacLean, who regularly serve as halftime and postgame analysts on the Clippers telecasts, substituted for Lawler and Smith at courtside.
"That's unfortunate. It was pretty strange not seeing them there," Clippers point guard Baron Davis said after the 106-99 victory. "Ralph and Mike are very classy guys, and they didn't do it to hurt anyone.
"A lot of times when you're commenting on games, it's a source of entertainment. And a lot of times, people may take offense. But the viewers need to understand that it's entertainment, and people are entitled to their opinion. I stand by Ralph and Mike because they're great guys and they only want to support and help everybody in the league."
Lawler, 71, is in his 31st season doing Clippers games, and Smith is in his 12th. Lawler has surpassed 2,400 regular season and playoff Clippers broadcasts in his career, according to the team's Web site.
"We regret the remarks made by Clippers announcers Michael Smith and Ralph Lawler during Wednesday's telecast," Fox said in a statement about 2½ hours before the game. "While we believe that Michael and Ralph did not intend their exchange to be offensive, the comments were inappropriate.
"We extend our apologies to Hamed Haddadi of the Memphis Grizzlies and to anyone who was offended. We have addressed the situation with Michael and Ralph and have taken appropriate action."
The Clippers did not comment.
The transcript of the conversation between Lawler and Smith, which occurred late in the game, was printed on the Los Angeles Times' Web site:
Smith: "Look who's in."
Lawler: "Hamed Haddadi. Where's he from?"
Smith: "He's the first Iranian to play in the NBA." (Smith pronounced Iranian as "Eye-ranian," a pronunciation that offended the viewer who complained.)
Lawler: "There aren't any Iranian players in the NBA," repeating Smith's mispronunciation.
Smith: "He's the only one."
Lawler: "He's from Iran?"
Smith: "I guess so."
Lawler: "That Iran?"
Smith: "Yes."
Lawler: "The real Iran?"
Smith: "Yes."
Lawler: "Wow. Haddadi that's H-A-D-D-A-D-I."
Smith: "You're sure it's not Borat's older brother?"
Smith: "If they ever make a movie about Haddadi, I'm going to get Sacha Baron Cohen to play the part."
Lawler: "Here's Haddadi. Nice little back-door pass. I guess those Iranians can pass the ball."
Smith: "Especially the post players.
Lawler: "I don't know about their guards."
See archived 'Sports' stories »
We want our site to be a place where people discuss and debate ideas that foster stronger communities. We built this for you. Please take care of it. Tolerate broad thinking, but take action against obscene or hateful material. Make it a credible and safe place worth preserving and sharing.
