By Mike Monroe
When the Spurs played the Hornets in New Orleans on Jan. 23, a well-rested Tim Duncan turned back the clock and authored his best game of the season, a 28-point burst of energy punctuated by a game-winning hook shot.
Facing the Hornets again Thursday, this time after a hard win over Houston the night before, Duncan proved he can still dominate a game while weary. In 22 minutes and 28 seconds, he produced an extraordinarily efficient 19 points and nine rebounds, helping the Spurs secure a 93-81 victory.
When Duncan wasn’t torturing the shorthanded Hornets in the post, backup big man Tiago Splitter was doing the same, making 7 of 9 shots and scoring 16.
The Spurs, now 15-9, ran their home-court record to 12-1.
Before the game there was speculation aplenty that Duncan might not suit up for the Spurs’ fourth in five nights. Coach Gregg Popovich had vowed he wouldn’t let Duncan play all four games in such a compressed stretch.
Even when Popovich an? nounced Duncan would be in his starting lineup there was concern about how much the 13-time All-Star would have left in his legs.
Duncan wasted no time proving he felt good. He scored seven points in a first quarter when his teammates made only 6 of 16 shots and had 11 by halftime.
Teammate Matt Bonner knew Duncan was on his way to a standout game.
“He was wicked spry out there,” Bonner said, flattening his vowels as only a New Englander can.
Duncan could sense fatigue, not in himself but in the legs of his perimeter-shooting teammates.
“I just felt I had to be aggressive, try to attack them a little bit,” he said. “We didn’t have shots falling from the outside or shoot the 3-ball real well, so opportunities were there and I just took them when I could.”
As he had in Wednesday’s comeback win over Houston, Duncan did most of his scoring against the Hornets in the low post. Only two of his eight shots were launched outside 10 feet, and his aggression around the basket put him on the foul line for seven free throws, all of which he converted.
“He feels really good,” Popovich said. “He feels like he’s got a good balance and that’s always a good sign when he wants the ball down on the block.”
Even with Duncan dominating inside, the game was close going to the fourth quarter because the Spurs were horrid from beyond the 3-point arc. They missed 13 of their first 14 long-range attempts; Bonner clanked his first four.
A 71-68 lead at the start of the fourth grew quickly to nine points because the Spurs locked down their defense and allowed just one Hornets basket in the first 4:20 of the period.
By the time point guard Tony Parker whipped a wraparound pass from the top of the key to a wide-open Bonner, alone outside the 3-point line on the left side, the momentum of the game decreed Bonner’s first hit from long range.
Popovich understood the importance of his team’s defensive excellence in crunch time.
“The defense generated offense for us as the game went on into the fourth quarter,” he said. “I thought Tony was really good in the second half forcing the issue, and I thought Tiago had a great run there, defensively and offensively, and the two of them really got us going, and that was it.”
Thursday’s victory means the Spurs will take a three-game winning streak into Saturday’s game against the Western Conference-leading Oklahoma City Thunder in their final home game before playing nine straight on the road.
mikemonroe@express-news.net
– Photos by Billy Calzada
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Spurs 93, Hornets 81: Feb. 2, 2012
Tim Duncan of the San Antonio Spurs shoots over Carl Landry of the New Orleans Hornets during NBA action at the ATT Center on Thursday, Feb. 2, 2012. Billy Calzada / San Antonio Express-NewsNew Orleans Hornets at San Antonio Spurs (San Antonio Express-News)
Richard Jefferson of the San Antonio Spurs dunks during first-half NBA action against the New Orleans Hornets at the ATT Center on Thursday, Feb. 2, 2012. Billy Calzada / San Antonio Express-NewsNew Orleans Hornets at San Antonio Spurs (San Antonio Express-News)
Spurs guard Tony Parker penetrates as the New Orleans Hornets defend during NBA action at the ATT Center on Thursday, Feb. 2, 2012. Billy Calzada / San Antonio Express-NewsNew Orleans Hornets at San Antonio Spurs (San Antonio Express-News)
Danny Green of the San Antonio Spurs shoots over Carl Landry of the New Orleans Hornets at the ATT Center on Thursday, Feb. 2, 2012. Billy Calzada / San Antonio Express-NewsNew Orleans Hornets at San Antonio Spurs (San Antonio Express-News)
DeJuan Blair of the Spurs, right, shoots over Emeka Okafer of the New Orleans Hornets during NBA action at the ATT Center on Thursday, Feb. 2, 2012. Billy Calzada / San Antonio Express-NewsNew Orleans Hornets at San Antonio Spurs (San Antonio Express-News)
Tony Parker of the San Antonio Spurs (9) shoots a layup as Emeka Okafor, left, of the New Orleans Hornets, and Trevor Ariza, right, defend on Thursday, Feb. 2, 2012. Billy Calzada / San Antonio Express-NewsNew Orleans Hornets at San Antonio Spurs (San Antonio Express-News)
Tim Duncan of the San Antonio Spurs dunks after stealing an inbound pass from Carl Landry of the New Orleans Hornets in the second half at the ATT Center on Thursday, Feb. 2, 2012. Billy Calzada / San Antonio Express-NewsNew Orleans Hornets at San Antonio Spurs (San Antonio Express-News)
Tiago Splitter of the San Antonio Spurs (22) battles Carldell Johnson of the New Orleans Hornets at the ATT Center on Thursday, Feb. 2, 2012. Billy Calzada / San Antonio Express-NewsNew Orleans Hornets at San Antonio Spurs (San Antonio Express-News)
Tiago Splitter of the Spurs shoots over Gustavo Ayon (15) and Al-Farouq Aminu of the Hornets during NBA action at the ATT Center on Thursday, Feb. 2, 2012. Billy Calzada / San Antonio Express-NewsNew Orleans Hornets at San Antonio Spurs (San Antonio Express-News)
Tim Duncan of the San Antonio Spurs greets teammate Tony Parker with a pat on the head during a timeout of their game against the New Orleans Hornets at the ATT Center on Thursday, Feb. 2, 2012. Billy Calzada / San Antonio Express-NewsNew Orleans Hornets at San Antonio Spurs (San Antonio Express-News)
Tim Duncan signals to his Spurs teammates during their game against New Orleans on Thursday, Feb. 2, 2012. Billy Calzada / San Antonio Express-NewsNew Orleans Hornets at San Antonio Spurs (San Antonio Express-News)
The San Antonio Spurs Silver Dancers perform during a timeout at the ATT Center on Thursday, Feb. 2, 2012. Billy Calzada / San Antonio Express-NewsNew Orleans Hornets at San Antonio Spurs (San Antonio Express-News)
San Antonio Spurs fans are jubliant as the Spurs pull away to a 93-81 victory over the New Orleans Hornets at the ATT Center on Thursday, Feb. 2, 2012. Billy Calzada / San Antonio Express-NewsNew Orleans Hornets at San Antonio Spurs (San Antonio Express-News)
Matt Bonner (15) of the Spurs defends Marco Belinelli of New Orleans looks to pass off during NBA action on Thursday, Feb. 2, 2012. Billy Calzada / San Antonio Express-NewsNew Orleans Hornets at San Antonio Spurs (San Antonio Express-News)
Tim Duncan (21) and Spurs teammates leave the court after their 93-81 victory over New Orleans on Thursday, Feb. 2, 2012. Billy Calzada / San Antonio Express-NewsNew Orleans Hornets at San Antonio Spurs (San Antonio Express-News)
DeJuan Blair, right, and Tim Duncan of the Spurs go through a pre-game ritual before their game against New Orleans at the ATT Center on Thursday, Feb. 2, 2012. Billy Calzada / San Antonio Express-NewsNew Orleans Hornets at San Antonio Spurs (San Antonio Express-News)
Tim Duncan of the Spurs hangs, as is his custom, from the rim when the lights are turned down for players introductions at the ATT Center on Thursday, Feb. 2, 2012. Billy Calzada / San Antonio Express-NewsNew Orleans Hornets at San Antonio Spurs (San Antonio Express-News)
