Spurs cruise to easy win over 76ers

[November 12, 2013]  PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- Danny Green scored 18 points, Tony Parker had 14 and the San Antonio Spurs rolled to an easy 109-85 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday night.

The defending Western Conference champions are off to a 7-1 start following consecutive wins in New York and Philadelphia.

Evan Turner scored 20 points and Spencer Hawes had 17 for the Sixers, who couldn't give coach Brett Brown a better effort in his first game against his former team.

Brown spent 11 years in San Antonio, including seven as an assistant under Gregg Popovich and was part of the team's four championships.

The Spurs didn't even need Tim Duncan, who was given a rest in the second of back-to-back games.

The surprising Sixers are 4-4, a far better start than expected. Odds makers predicted they would win less than 17 games this season.

Duncan, the three-time NBA Finals MVP, had 11 points and 10 rebounds in Sunday's 120-89 rout of the Knicks at Madison Square Garden.

This one was pretty much the same kind of laugher.

The Sixers missed their first seven shots, and the Spurs closed out the first quarter on a 14-0 run to take a 31-13 lead. Seven players scored for San Antonio in the opening 12 minutes, and that was just the start.

In a reversal, the Spurs missed their first seven shots in the second quarter, while the Sixers went on a 10-0 run to get within 31-23 following Turner's 3-pointer.

Boris Diaw ended that run with a layup and a hook shot. Green then hit a 3 to give the Spurs a double-digit lead for good, 46-34.

They were up 19 at halftime and increased the lead to 29 by the middle of the third quarter. All the starters were on the bench by the start of the fourth quarter.

The Spurs had more 3-pointers (13) than free throws attempted (11).

Six players scored in double figures for San Antonio, including Kawhi Leonard (13) and Marco Belinelli (12).

Rookie Michael Carter-Williams had a season-low eight points on 2-for-11 shooting for Philadelphia.

NOTES: Brown had a steady stream of visitors in his office before the game, including Parker. Brown had dinner with Popovich and the Spurs staff on Sunday night. ... The Sixers have trailed by double digits in six of their games this season. ... The Spurs have won the last five games vs. Philadelphia. ... The Spurs are 4-1 when scoring over 100 points.

[Associated Press; By ROB MAADDI]

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