Duncan helps Spurs improve to 9-0 at home

[January 16, 2012]  SAN ANTONIO (AP) -- Tim Duncan had 24 points and 11 rebounds, leading San Antonio to a 102-91 victory over the Phoenix Suns on Sunday keeping the Spurs perfect at home.

The Spurs have won all nine of their home games and are 0-4 on the road. The 9-0 start marks their best opening at home since the 2007-08 season when they began 13-0. Phoenix (4-8), beginning a five-game road trip, has now lost four straight games.

Tony Parker had 17 points and nine assists for the Spurs, who have won three straight. DeJuan Blair added 14 points and rookie Kawhi Leonard had 12 for San Antonio.

Suns veterans Steve Nash and Grant Hill returned after missing Friday's loss to New Jersey. Nash was out with a right quadriceps contusion and Hill missed the game with a right quadriceps tendon strain. Nash had 20 points and 10 assists, while Hill had just four points.

Phoenix, which trailed by as many as 18 points early in the second half, cut it to five in the fourth quarter but wasn't able to close the deficit. San Antonio never trailed after the first quarter.

Marcin Gortat had 24 points and 15 rebounds to lead Phoenix. Markieff Morris added 14 points, Jared Dudley had 12 points, and Shannon Brown had 10.

Brown hit a jumper as time expired in the third quarter to make it 78-68. San Antonio jumped ahead by 18 to start the quarter before Phoenix clawed back. Gortat had nine points and six rebounds in the quarter, and Nash had four assists.

The Spurs led 56-42 at halftime behind 12 points from Blair and 10 from Duncan. San Antonio's lead reached 56-37 when Kawhi Leonard hit two free throws with 45.9 seconds left in the second quarter to cap a 13-2 run.

Leonard, who has often been praised by Spurs coach Gregg Popovich for his defense this season, helped hold Hill scoreless in the first half. Phoenix shot just 6 of 23 in the second quarter.

Nash led Phoenix with 12 points, all in the first quarter, and Gortat had 10 in the half.

The Spurs led 30-26 after the first quarter behind 13-of-23 shooting. Blair scored 10 points on 5-of-7 shooting and Duncan had nine points. San Antonio led by as many as 12 points, but after Gary Neal's jumper with 3:46 left put the Spurs up 22-10, Phoenix went on an 11-2 run to close the gap. Nash hit 6 of 8 shots in the quarter.

NOTES: Duncan's jumper with 1:29 left in the second quarter moved him past Gary Payton into 26th on the NBA's all-time scoring list with 21,829. Clyde Drexler is 25th with 22,195. . Neal sustained a right quad contusion in the second quarter and didn't return. . Spurs F Malcolm Thomas missed the game with gastroenteritis. . Suns F Hakim Warrick received a technical foul with 2:50 remaining in the second quarter for arguing with referees.

[Associated Press]

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.