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 The Spurs rebounded from their first home loss in 18 games two nights earlier against Phoenix, but it may have been a costly victory. Parker, the Spurs' leading scorer, went down with a left ankle sprain with 4:40 left in the third quarter after a drive to the basket and scooping bucket. Parker immediately fell to the ground grabbing his leg and was helped off the court and straight to the locker room. He did not return.
Parker finished with 13 points and seven assists. Danny Green had 15 points and Kawhi Leonard and Tiago Splitter each had 14 points, while Manu Ginobili set a team record with 15 assists off the bench.
Marcus Thornton led all scorers with 22 and Isaiah Thomas added 18 for the Kings.
Before Parker's injury, the Spurs were rolling and methodically pulling away from the Kings with an inside-outside game and complete domination in every aspect. San Antonio kept the Kings on their heels with dazzling ball movement, notching 41 assists on 51 baskets.
The impressive performance came on the heels of a 105-101 overtime loss to Phoenix on Wednesday, in a game that saw the Spurs fail to score a basket in the extra period against the team with the worst record in the Western Conference at the time.
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The Spurs still managed to turn over the ball 17 times and the Kings capitalized on the miscues early in the game. Sacramento scrapped its way back from an 18-point deficit with a 12-3 run in second quarter to pull within 42-33, but 13 first-half turnovers plagued the Kings. San Antonio built the lead back up to 17 before Tyreke Evans nailed a 53-foot shot at the buzzer and the Spurs held a 63-49 lead at the half.
The Spurs took advantage of five consecutive turnovers by the Kings midway through the opening period to pull out to the big early lead. Sacramento scored the last five points to close the gap to 34-21.
NOTES: The Spurs were without injured Boris Diaw (lower back strain), Stephen Jackson (sprained right ankle) and Gary Neal (left calf), who missed his third consecutive game . With Diaw out, Tiago Splitter is now the only Spurs player who has appeared in all 60 games this season . Sacramento coach Keith Smart played two games in a Spurs uniform during the 1988-89 season . Parker wrapped up the month of February averaging 26.1 points, 8.3 assists and shot 54 percent from the field . With Friday's victory the Spurs have taken the regular-season series from the Kings for the ninth consecutive season.
[Associated
Press]
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