Tim Duncan is asking for help for the U.S. Virgin Islands, and says he will match donations up to the first $1 million.

Duncan writes on The Players’ Tribune that he is donating $250,000 immediately to storm relief efforts after there was extensive damage from Hurricane Irma, and noting that Hurricane Jose has developed behind.

The retired San Antonio Spurs star was born and grew up on the U.S. Virgin Islands, and writes that many of his old friends are suffering. He says that ”no one knows what the place will look like when the rain stops.”

Duncan was raised in St. Croix, which was crippled by Hurricane Hugo in 1989 when he was 13.

Duncan also says he will charter a plane to ship supplies from San Antonio to St. Croix when the weather allows, and put together a team to help manage the relief efforts.

—

4:50 p.m.

Hurricane Irma has forced next week’s series between the New York Yankees and Tampa Bay Rays to be moved to Citi Field, home of the New York Mets.

The Monday-Tuesday-Wednesday series was set to be played in St. Petersburg, Florida. But concerns over where Irma will hit, and what it will do to the Tampa Bay area, prompted officials to decide that moving the series was best.

Playing at other neutral sites, like the Baltimore Orioles’ Camden Yards and the Chicago White Sox’ Guaranteed Rate Field, was considered. But hotel availability was tough in both series, so the series heads to New York – where only the Rays will need lodging.

The Rays played host to a series between Houston and Texas last month, after Hurricane Harvey hit Houston and forced changes there.

—

2:45 p.m.

NASCAR tracks like Bristol, Atlanta, Charlotte and Talladega are opening their doors to Hurricane Irma evacuees.

With unknown amounts of people heading north from Florida and other states in an effort to escape Irma’s path – and hotels booked solid in many places – the tracks are opening their campgrounds.

Atlanta Motor Speedway opened its camping facilities Thursday for both RV and tent campers, all of whom would have access to hot showers and restroom facilities. Bristol said its campground was opening Friday, and Charlotte’s opened Friday morning as well.

”We look forward to show them the hospitality for which we’re known,” Charlotte executive vice president Greg Walter said.

Talladega opened its gates to evacuees Thursday. Track chairman Grant Lynch says ”our track is committed to helping our friends in Florida and the surrounding states during this time of need.”

—

2:20 p.m.

Help with the aftermath from what was once the most powerful recorded storm in the open Atlantic is already arriving – from the other side of the Atlantic.

French soccer officials have pledged about $600,000 – 500,000 euros – to help search and rescue teams as well as for efforts to rebuild St. Martin and St. Barts after Hurricane Irma hit both islands.

The French football federation, the players’ association, the clubs’ union and the French league made the announcement on Friday.

At least 11 people have been confirmed dead on St. Martin and St. Barts because of Irma, part of the 21 deaths in the Caribbean so far being blamed on the massive storm.

—

2 p.m.

The Jacksonville Jaguars will remain in Houston following their season-opener against the Texans because of Hurricane Irma.

The team says it decided to stay at least an extra day ”in consideration for the safety of our players, coaches and staff.” There had been concern that the team would return to Jacksonville after the game Sunday be stranded because local bridges might be closed. Irma is expected to reach the Jacksonville area early Monday.

The Jags say they will reevaluate travel options Monday morning.

Houston is still dealing with the effects of Hurricane Harvey, and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future. Estimates suggest that the amount of garbage needing to be cleaned up in Houston alone is 8 million cubic yards – enough to fill the Texans’ stadium two times over.

—

1:15 p.m.

Miami defensive coordinator Manny Diaz says it ”will just about take a miracle” for college football games to be played in Florida next weekend. If he’s right that means the Hurricanes’ annual matchup with Florida State might get rescheduled.

Diaz posted a statement to Twitter on Friday, saying he and his family drove 13 hours to evacuate ahead of Hurricane Irma.

The Hurricanes have been criticized for their decision to cancel Saturday’s game at Arkansas State. Irma-related concerns also prompted Florida State, Florida and Central Florida to call off home games, and South Florida isn’t going to play at Connecticut.

In response to criticism, Diaz wrote, ”The entire state right now is in the cross hairs of the strongest storm ever in the Atlantic. Ever. And we are still talking about football with all these lives in the balance?”

If Miami and FSU can’t play in Tallahassee on Sept. 16, both teams are off on Oct. 7.

—

1 p.m.

A person familiar with the situation says the Miami Dolphins will practice next week in California in advance of their Sept. 17 game against the Los Angeles Chargers, a decision made in response to the expected wrath of Hurricane Irma.

The team was finalizing its plans Friday, said the person who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because neither the team nor the league had publicly revealed the decision.

The Dolphins were to open their season Sunday at home against Tampa Bay, but that game was moved to Week 11 because Florida is expected to be squarely in Irma’s path. The powerful hurricane is expected to continue affecting the state throughout the early part of next week, and possibly longer.

– AP Sports Writer Steven Wine.

—

HURRICANE NEWSLETTER – Get the best of the AP’s all-formats reporting on Irma and Harvey in your inbox: http://apne.ws/ahYQGtb

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The colors don’t change. The coach doesn’t change. The core never changed.

After 20 years and those five titles, change has finally come to San Antonio.

Tim Duncan, the tone setter from the moment he was drafted in 1997, retired last summer. Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili have taken reduced roles this season, and the Spurs brought in seven new faces as part of a rare roster shuffle as they try to retool around Kawhi Leonard and LaMarcus Aldridge.

”It’s been at the same time a challenge and a refreshing sort of situation,” coach Gregg Popovich said. ”The team is changing personnel-wise and where the ball goes and a few different players so we have to do things a little bit differently. There’s a give and take, strategy wise, to fit the group. It’s been a lot of fun. Watching some of the young guys get minutes and develop has been fun.”

Fun because while the faces have changed, the results have not. The Spurs (18-4) have navigated the bumps in the road that come with unfamiliarity and have the second-best record in the league, tied the star-studded Golden State Warriors (18-3) in the win column. They have started the season 13-0 on the road and can match last year’s Warriors for the best road start in league history with a win in Chicago on Thursday night.

It hasn’t always been pretty for these Spurs. They’re not the same ruthless, precise machine that steamrolled the league during championship runs. They have had to muddle through things, overcome mistakes and struggle while they get acclimated to one another.

Newcomers like six-time All-Star Pau Gasol, steady veteran David Lee, Argentinian point guard Nico Laprovittola and shot-blocking center Dewayne Dedmon have had to work hard to integrate into a culture that is as enduring as any.

”You could see it in our games. Sometimes our offense is stagnant, our defense isn’t moving well or in our help positions,” Leonard said. ”We have a big playbook on the offensive end. It’s just hard to learn it. It was hard for me to learn it. I didn’t get it down until probably my second or third year. We’ve just got to keep giving a consistent effort and being into the game and into our playbook and just keep moving from there.”

The result has been a team that tends to start slow, fall behind and then gradually digs its heels in. They are 5-4 at home, where they only lost once all of last season. They’ve lost to the Magic at home, were thumped by the Clippers and have not recaptured the breathtaking form they showed in a 29-point win at Golden State on opening night. But the wins keep coming.

”I think the first eight to 10 games was the coaching staff trying to figure out what lineups we’re going to play and there were a lot of changes, a lot of trying what works best,” said Gasol, who signed as a free agent this summer. ”But now I think there’s more consistency, there’s more defined lineups. Guys know when to come in, when they’re going to play and what’s expected of them.”

The Spurs have won 13 of their last 14 games, and Popovich has leaned on his core more than he has in years to get them off to a good start. Leonard and Aldridge both average more than 33 minutes per game, the first time San Antonio has had two players averaging that much playing time since 2008-09.

”It’s been interesting to see how the team develops and comes together and who the leaders will be without Timmy being that overriding factor for so long,” Popovich said.

Leonard, for years the ultra-quiet storm trooper of the Spurs army, has been much more vocal this season. Gasol’s personality and approach have been a perfect fit as most expected and Ginobili and Parker are still there to help filled the void left by Duncan’s retirement.

And little by little, the new guys are getting up to speed.

”They’ve done a great job of making it easy for us and for Pop to throw them into the fire and trust them to know the system,” Green said. ”We’ll continue to help them and they will continue to be sponges and absorb it.”

—

Follow Jon Krawczynski on Twitter: http://twitter.com/APKrawczynski

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Parker had 22 points in his return from an eight-game absence, Tim Duncan added 19 points and 16 rebounds and the San Antonio Spurs escaped with a 104-97 overtime victory against the Utah Jazz on Friday night.

Amid cries of “MVP,” Parker capped the scoring with a pair of free throws with 17.2 seconds left in overtime. He went 8 for 13 from the field and had five assists after missing eight games with a sprained left ankle. The Spurs were 6-2 in his absence, but struggled offensively.

“Tony was a little bit shy in the first half; he was just trying to feel his way a little bit,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. “The game got tight at the end in regulation and then in overtime, and he was Tony Parker. Like I said, up until the time he got hurt, there wasn’t a point guard in the league playing better than Tony Parker.”

Parker had six points and two assists in overtime, including a cross-court pass to Kawhi Leonard for a 3-pointer to open overtime.

Leonard finished with 21 points, including five in overtime, and Danny Green had 15 points for San Antonio (53-16), which remains 2 1/2 games ahead of Oklahoma City in the West.

Mo Williams scored 23 points, Al Jefferson had 18 and Alec Burks 14 for Utah (34-35), which has lost three straight and dropped two games behind the Los Angeles Lakers for the West’s final playoff berth.

“I can live with this,” Jefferson said. “It is the end of the season and we cannot afford to lose one game. We played a tough team on their home floor and had a chance to win for the first time in a long time. The energy and the effort was there for all 48 minutes plus. If we continue to play the way we did tonight for the rest of these 12 games, we have a great chance.”

Utah almost ruined what became a historic night for Duncan and Popovich.

Duncan’s 29th double-double of the season gives him 13,113 career rebounds, moving him past Shaquille O’Neal (13,099) for 13th on the all-time list.

Popovich recorded his 900th career victory, becoming the 12th coach in NBA history to accomplish the feat and joining former Utah coach Jerry Sloan as the only coaches to do so with one team.

“(The ankle) feels good; it’s more my cardio, my wind,” Parker said. “I’m definitely (tired). It was a hard game; playoff intensity. Utah is definitely fighting hard to get that eight spot.

“It was big win for a lot of reasons. For Pop, No. 900; for Timmy passing Shaq; and me, I’m just happy to be back and hopefully we can keep it going now.”

While Parker’s return helped settle San Antonio late on offense, it was the team’s defense that sealed the win.

The Spurs held the Jazz to 2-for-8 shooting in overtime after Marvin Williams’ 3 at the buzzer tied the game at 90, drawing a heated tirade from Popovich for the defensive lapse. In the end, however, Popovich was happy with the outcome.

“I thought it was a great game,” he said. “The guys fought hard. Utah’s a team trying to stay in the playoffs and really highly motivated. We ground it out. We just ground it out and found some combinations that work well. A lot of people contributed to that. It was a hell of a win. It’s one of our better wins this year for a lot of reasons.”

Parker made his first attempt, drawing huge applause after hitting a 15-foot jumper 2 minutes into the game. He had only six points in the first half, going 3 for 6 from the field in 17 minutes.

“It’s always tough, because you don’t want to mess with the chemistry,” Parker said. “They’ve been playing very good basketball at home. I was just trying to fit in. In the second half, Pop was calling plays for me. And being aggressive in the fourth quarter, so it came naturally.”

The Spurs had a 12-0 run to take a 16-4 lead with 6:26 left in the first quarter. Tiago Splitter capped the run by tossing in a hook shot after missing an open layup off a bullet pass from Parker.

Parker sat shortly after that pass, sparking a 17-2 run by Utah to close the quarter. San Antonio went scoreless for almost 5 minutes bridging the first and second quarters.

Leonard also had six points in the first half before going 6 for 8 from the field in the second half and overtime, including 3 for 3 on 3s.

“Kawhi’s a stud, he’s not afraid to shoot the ball,” Popovich said. “He knows that he’s got license to play; we went to him a couple of times down the stretch in regulation and he came through.”

Game notes

San Antonio’s victory was its first in overtime against Utah after losing the previous three in series history. . Parker is the only player averaging at least 20 points and seven assists while shooting over 50 percent from the field and 80 percent on free throws. … Popovich trails Don Nelson (1,335), Lenny Wilkens (1,332), Sloan (1,221), Pat Riley (1,210), Phil Jackson (1,155), George Karl (1,122), Larry Brown (1,098), Rich Adelman (994), Bill Fitch (944), Red Auerbach (938) and Dick Motta (935) in career victories. “It’s funny, I played for Don Nelson when he broke the record and now I’m back with Pop,” Stephen Jackson said. “I’m happy for Pop, he deserves it. I’m sure he’s got plenty more to come. He pushed the (postgame celebration) cake in my face and it should have been his face. But I’m happy for him; I’m happy to be a part of it. I’m happy to say that I was able to be coached and play for coach Popovich.” . Parker is the only active player averaging at least 15 points, five assists while shooting over 49 percent from the field for his career. The only other players to do that are Walt Frazier, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan and Kevin Johnson. … With its victory Friday, San Antonio joins Miami (31) and Oklahoma City (30) as the only teams with 30 wins at home this season.

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Tim Duncan had 25 points, 13 rebounds, six assists and four blocks, and San Antonio beat Golden State 104-93 on Wednesday night for its 29th straight home win against the Warriors.

Golden State has not won in San Antonio since Feb. 14, 1997, the season before Duncan was selected No. 1 overall by the Spurs.

“He’s a Hall of Fame player, an all-time great,” Warriors coach Mark Jackson said. “He certainly had a big game tonight.”

Tiago Splitter added 17 points and Manu Ginobili had 16 points and seven assists for San Antonio (52-16), which has won three straight and seven of nine overall. Nando De Colo had 10 points.

The Spurs are right behind Miami (53-14) for the league’s best record.

Stephen Curry had 24 points for Golden State (39-31), which remains sixth in the West. Jarrett Jack had 14 points, and David Lee added 10 points and 12 rebounds.

Golden State closed to 92-88 when Curry went 1 for 2 at the line, but Duncan threw in a running hook and a 16-foot jumper to give San Antonio an eight-point lead with 2:37 remaining.

“My jump shot’s coming back,” Duncan said. “It doesn’t feel great, but it’s going in a little bit, so I’ll take it. Everything else feels really good. I feel healthy, moving well. (My) body feels good and shots are going in.”

Duncan was 11 for 17 from the field and 3 for 3 at the line. It was his 13th game of at least 20 points and 10 rebounds this season.

“Timmy has his rhythm back,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. “He’s in great shape and down the stretch we went through him. Manu and Timmy really decided to do that on their won and they did a great job of it.”

The Spurs needed Duncan to step up with All-Star point guard Tony Parker (sprained left ankle) still about a week away from rejoining the team, and the 16-year veteran is averaging 27.7 points, 14.7 rebounds and 3.3 rebounds in his last three games — all home victories.

“Unbelievable; he’s just unbelievable,” Splitter said. “He’s just figuring out how to play great at his age. It’s not easy, he’s not same guy like 10 years ago. He doesn’t have the same quickness, but he still knows how to play this game.”

Duncan also set the tone defensively.

Golden State (first) and San Antonio (fourth) are among the top five in 3-point percentage, but neither team connected from long range until Ginobili knocked down his second attempt with 10:30 left in the first half.

It was part of a greater emphasis on defense by the Spurs, who struggled in a 119-116 victory against Cleveland on Saturday.

“Focus more than anything,” Duncan said. “We’ve been playing hard. We just kind of get out of whack every once in a while kind of as the season goes along. It’s a long season. People lose focus for a little while. It’s good to go through a stretch like that to get a team refocused; to get guys individually refocused. I think we’ve done that.”

San Antonio still had some defensive lapses. Golden State went on a 10-1 run after De Colo’s 17-foot jumper gave the Spurs a 91-78 lead with 8 minutes remaining. But that’s when Duncan had his late run.

“Tim made plays and that is what he does,” Curry said. “We got back into it and had a chance to win at the end. If I would have made that second to last 3 I took, that would have changed the game.”

Curry missed a 3 pointer with 3 minutes left and Duncan followed with his 16-foot jumper that gave San Antonio a 96-88 lead.

San Antonio outscored Golden State 38-25 in the second quarter, going 6 for 11 on 3s after missing all four attempts in the opening period. Matt Bonner and Danny Green hit back-to-back 3s late in the second quarter as San Antonio led 60-47 at halftime.

De Colo had one of the highlights in the first half when he stripped Jack at midcourt and sprinted to the basket for a dunk, prompting Duncan to leap from his seat and shout “atta boy.”

“I thought he was a really physical player tonight,” Popovich said. “He showed a penchant to stick his nose in and played physically. He was very good in that regard and that’s what we’ve been wanting to see from him.

“He’s a smart player, we already know that, but he’s got to be able to bang and hit and keep up with a physical game like it was tonight -the way it’s going to be in the playoffs.”

Game notes

Parker participated fully in San Antonio’s practice Tuesday, but Popovich said he was still about a week away from rejoining the team. … All but three of San Antonio’s 14 remaining games are against teams with a winning record. … Warriors F Richard Jefferson, who played two seasons with the Spurs, was booed when he entered the game late in the first quarter. … Duncan was assessed a technical foul with 6:59 left for arguing a foul called against De Colo. It was Duncan’s first technical foul since April 15, 2007, against the Dallas Mavericks.

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Duncan had 30 points, 12 rebounds and five blocks, and the Spurs beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 119-113 on Saturday night.

Kawhi Leonard added 24 points and 13 boards, and Manu Ginobili added 14 points and 10 assists for San Antonio (51-16), which is 1 1/2 games ahead of Oklahoma City for the top seed in the Western Conference.

“Tim saved our (butt),” said Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, who was ejected midway through the second quarter. “He obviously carried the whole night for us. He was great. It shouldn’t have to be that way.”

Nando De Colo had 11 points and Tiago Splitter 10 for the Spurs.

Playing without its top two players in point guard Kyrie Irving and center Anderson Varejao, Cleveland (22-44) led 103-102 with 5 minutes left in the game.

Opponents were averaging 96.2 points against the Spurs entering Saturday’s game, but the Cavaliers had 90 after three quarters. For a franchise and a coach that has won four NBA titles on the shoulders of its defense, the lack of focus is troubling to say the least.

“We’ve got to step up and play better,” Ginobili said. “The playoffs are around the corner; 15 games to go and we are doing worse than at the beginning of the season. We’ve got to go by this slump and get our things together.”

Wayne Ellington had 21 points and fellow reserve Marreese Speights added 19 for Cleveland. Shaun Livingston had 16 points, and Alonzo Gee and Dion Waiters added 15 apiece.

Neither offense was slowed by the loss of its starting All-Star point guards. Parker is expected to miss another two weeks with a Grade 2 left ankle sprain and Cleveland will be without Irving (shoulder) for another three weeks.

It was defense that both teams were lacking.

“We’ve been emphasizing for two and half weeks and it hasn’t done any good,” Popovich said. “I need to learn another language or I don’t know what. But, very disappointed in our defensive execution in the last two to three weeks after we raised our stock from being a middle of the road defensive team last year to one of the top two or three this year.

“Then in the last three weeks, we decide to toss it; that it’s not important. I’m really concerned and disappointed in that.”

Frustration with that defense may have led to Popovich’s ejection. He was ejected with 6:33 left in the first half after arguing a charge Ed Malloy called on Boris Diaw against Luke Walton. After the initial technical, Popovich was quickly assessed a second and ejected after storming onto the court, yelling and pointing at Malloy.

San Antonio outscored Cleveland 19-12 down the stretch, but the Cavs shot 51 percent from the field.

Duncan blocked Tristan Thompson’s layup attempt with the Spurs leading 113-109 and 54.9 seconds remaining. Duncan also blocked Waiters’ shot with 17.9 seconds left and San Antonio leading 116-111.

It was two of the few defensive highlights for the Spurs.

“It’s not been great and I don’t know why,” Duncan said. “I think the effort is there. We’re playing hard. We’re giving up too many straight drives right to the rim. We’ve got find a way to kind of counter that; find a way to clean that up.”

Duncan had 13 points in the first quarter, going 6 for 9 and collecting six rebounds.

He tossed in a 2-foot jumper that gave the Spurs a 30-21 lead with 3 minutes left in the first quarter. Leonard picked up an assist on the basket, hustling in from out of bounds to tip his own missed shot to Duncan.

“We’re moving the ball and it’s gone to the post a little more,” Duncan said. “That’s where I’m a little more effective. I still haven’t gotten my shot back the way I want it. I’m just trying to be aggressive.”

Waiters’ 3 with 7 minutes left in the first half capped a 13-5 run that gave the Cavaliers a 48-44 lead.

After CJ Miles made both free throws on Popovich’s technicals, the Spurs closed the first half on a 22-11 run to take a 66-61 lead. Ginobili had eight points in the run and Duncan added seven.

Cleveland shot 61 percent from the field in the first half.

“I think they’re the best team in the league,” Cavaliers coach Byron Scott said. “I don’t know if they’re going to win it. They have the best talent and the best coach, so they have a great shot of winning another championship. I think for us, we played this game really well.”

The Spurs never trailed in the third quarter, but Livingston’s layup with 1:20 left tied the game at 90 to set up the fourth quarter.

Game notes

Varejao, who missed his 41st game, will not return after being diagnosed with a blood clot in his lung. . Splitter is the only player to appear in every game for San Antonio this season, having started 45 of 67 games. . The Spurs continue to use their D-League affiliate to develop their young reserves, sending De Colo and Aron Baynes to the Austin Toros on Friday. De Colo was recalled prior to Saturday’s game, playing 24 minutes while going 4 for 6 from the field. . San Antonio is 34-6 overall at home against Cleveland. . Ellington (ankle) played 22 minutes after being listed as a game-time decision.

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Maybe too relaxed.

Jermaine O’Neal had 22 points and 13 rebounds, Wesley Johnson hit a 3-pointer at the end of regulation to force overtime and the Phoenix Suns rallied to upend San Antonio 105-101, stunning a raucous crowd that had begun celebrating midway through the third quarter only to exit in silence.

Tony Parker had 22 points to lead San Antonio, which had not lost at home since Nov. 19 against the Los Angeles Clippers. Tim Duncan had 19 points and 11 rebounds, and DeJuan Blair and Kawhi Leonard added 15 points apiece.

Luis Scola added 15 points and Goran Dragic had 13 points and 13 assists for Phoenix, which snapped a six-game losing streak against the Spurs.

“We are all very upset, especially after the performance we had on the road,” San Antonio guard Manu Ginobili said. “Coming back home and losing the first one is hard, but it happens. We got relaxed after such a long road trip, but this is what happens in the NBA when you do not play your best.”

After going 7-2 on the road trip due to the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo, the league-leading Spurs (45-14) appeared to have the game well in hand following a strong third quarter by Parker.

Amid cries of “MVP,” Parker had 10 points in the period as San Antonio extended its lead to double digits. His assist to Duncan with 10 minutes left in the third gave the Spurs a 56-45 lead and his 10-foot jumper put them up 69-58.

Leonard’s 3 with 1.1 seconds gave San Antonio a 77-67 lead entering the fourth.

Trailing by 11 points with 11:29 left in the game, the Suns rallied behind O’Neal. The veteran center had 13 points and five rebounds as Phoenix (20-39) outscored San Antonio 33-23 in the fourth.

“For us, we’re obviously not in the playoff run, but it’s about trying to be a better team,” O’Neal said. “Games like these are what build character and put us in the right direction. That’s what we’re trying to do.”

The Suns pulled within 97-95 with less than a minute remaining on Marcus Morris’ 3. Parker attempted to keep the Spurs ahead, tossing in a floater, a jump shot and feeding Duncan for a jumper that gave San Antonio a 99-97 lead with 11 seconds left.

Ginobili made one of two free throws with 3.7 seconds left to make it 100-97. O’Neal rebounded Ginobili’s second free throw attempt, firing a pass down court to Johnson, whose 3 at the buzzer tied the game at 100 and sent it to overtime.

“Overall we made a lot of mental errors,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. “Especially on that last play on the free throw line when Johnson went all the way down the court and he wasn’t picked up. That cost us the game.”

Johnson’s 3 seemed to stun the Spurs even more so than the fans.

“I think we were kind of surprised that Manu missed that last free throw, but they made a great play,” Parker said. “Wesley made a big 3.”

San Antonio went 0-for-10 in overtime, its only points in the extra period coming when Parker made 1 of 2 free throws.

“I think they missed some shots they normally make, so defensively we did some things great that worked great for us,” Phoenix coach Lindsey Hunter said.

The teams combined to go 0-for-14 to open overtime. Marcin Gortat’s tip follow was the first basket of overtime, giving Phoenix a 102-101 lead with 1:07 left.

Game notes

After three weeks on the road, the Spurs were finally able to honor Parker as the NBA Player of the Month for January, doing so prior to the game. … San Antonio observed a moment of silence in honor of Dr. Jerry Buss, the Los Angeles Lakers owner who died Feb. 18. … The Spurs have won 64 games overall on its rodeo road trips, which began in 2003. … A video highlighting the Spurs’ recent road trip played prior to the game to Phillip Phillips’ “Home.” … Dragic and reigning MVP LeBron James of Miami are the only players leading their team in points, assists, steals and free throw attempts. … Scola, Gortat and Markieff Morris have played all 58 games for Phoenix, with Gortat starting each.

The post Suns snap Spurs’ 18-game home streak in OT appeared first on IdealCapper.

to be out, but we’ve still got to get the job done regardless of who is out there.”

Splitter re-energized the Spurs, scoring on a dunk and a reverse layup to make it 77-67 with 7:28 left. Splitter had six points and two rebounds in the final quarter and Parker added five points and three assists.

“In the second half, we lost our focus and the defense dissipated and that let them get back in the game,” Popovich said. “Once again, Tony and Tiago were great. They were steady the entire night. We got it done.”

Game notes
Spurs G Manu Ginobili was sidelined by left hamstring tightness. … Washington F Trevor Booker (sore left wrist) was a late scratch. … The Wizards have had nine different leading scorers for an individual game, with six in the last 10 games. … Washington’s last win in San Antonio was 99-89 on Dec. 11, 1999. … Wall was averaging 13.7 points, 6.5 assists and 2.9 rebounds since returning from injury. … San Antonio was playing its final home game before its annual “Rodeo Road Trip.” The Spurs will play nine straight road games while the San Antonio Livestock Show and Rodeo is held at the AT&T Center.

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New Orleans At San Antonio
When: 8:30 PM ET, Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Where: AT&T Center, San Antonio, Texas
TV: 8:30 p.m. ET, Fox Sports New Orleans, KENS (San Antonio)
Prediction: Spurs 101, Hornets 91

Oddsmakers currently have the Spurs listed as 10-point favorites versus the Hornets, while the game’s total is sitting at 192.

New Orleans’ resurgence has been buoyed by the return to form of guard Eric Gordon. A right knee injury kept him out for the first 29 games, and he struggled with his shot as a reserve early in his comeback. But the 24-year-old has been much better of late, averaging 19.2 points over his last five games. “I’m starting to hit jump shots more,” Gordon told the New Orleans Times-Picayune. “I just need to get it all flowing together. There are points in the game when I do and some that I don’t. It’s going to come together.” Monday’s triumph marked the first time this season the Hornets have allowed more than 100 points and won

The Hornets were a 114-105 winner in their most recent outing at home against the Kings. They covered the 5.5-point spread as favorites, while the total score (219) made winners of OVER bettors.

Team record: 14-27 SU, 22-19 ATS
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of last 6 games when playing on the road against San Antonio
is 7-2 SU in its last 9 games
is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 4 of last 6 games
When playing on Wednesday are 3-7
Before playing Houston are 7-3
After playing Sacramento are 3-7
After a win are 4-6

When San Antonio head coach Gregg Popovich opted to send stars Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker home rather than have them play in a nationally televised game earlier in the season, he likely had this stretch of the schedule in mind. San Antonio will have played more games than any team in the league by the end of the week. “It’s been a tough beginning, travel-wise,” Popovich told the San Antonio Express-News. “We’re getting to be a pretty tired team. It’s been a lot of games quickly. We’ve never had this many games in this period of time before.” San Antonio will enjoy three days off following Saturday’s game against Phoenix

The Spurs were a 90-85 winner in their most recent outing on the road against the 76ers. They failed to cover the 6-point spread as favorites, while the total score (175) made winners of UNDER bettors.

Team record: 33-11 SU, 25-18-1 ATS
Current streak: won 5 straight games.

is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of last 5 games
is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of last 5 games at home

When playing on Wednesday are 7-3
Before playing Dallas are 8-2
After playing Philadelphia are 6-4
After a win are 7-3

The post New Orleans Hornets vs. San Antonio Spurs NBA Free Pick & Matchup appeared first on IdealCapper.

Brooklyn At San Antonio
When: 7:00 PM ET, Monday, December 31, 2012
Where: AT&T Center, San Antonio, Texas
Prediction: Spurs 105, Nets 96.

Oddsmakers currently have the Spurs listed as 9½-point favorites versus the Nets, while the game’s total is sitting at 197.

Brooklyn general manager Billy King said in an ESPN radio interview on Sunday that he had not contacted any high-profile coaching candidates. “We’ve put our support behind (Carlesimo), and then we’ll look at things and evaluate it later,” King said. Carlesimo guided the Nets to a 97-81 win over the Charlotte Bobcats on Friday and a 103-100 triumph over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Saturday by leaning on Lopez. The center has posted three straight double-doubles and went for a season-high 35 points in the win over Cleveland. Williams has recorded a total of nine assists and only one turnover in the two games under Carlesimo.

Last time out for Brooklyn, they were a 103-100 winner as they battled the Cavaliers at home. The Nets failed to cover in the match as an 8.5-point favorite, while 203 combined points moved the game OVER for totals bettors.

Team record: 16-14 SU, 13-16-1 ATS
Current streak: won 2 straight games.

The total has gone UNDER in 15 of last 17 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of last 5 games when playing San Antonio
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of last 5 games when playing on the road against San Antonio
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of last 8 games

When playing on Monday are 3-7
Before playing Oklahoma City are 3-7
After playing Cleveland are 3-7
After a win are 6-4

San Antonio crushed the Dallas Mavericks 111-86 on Sunday night and has won its last five by an average of 18.8 points. The Spurs got 84 points from Manu Ginobili, Tony Parker and Tim Duncan in a win over the Houston Rockets on Friday, and the three went for 59 in the victory on Sunday. With Monday being the second night of a back-to-back set, and with another back-to-back scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday, coach Gregg Popovich could get creative with his substitution patterns in regard to those three players in particular. Parker was the only one to go over 30 minutes on Sunday and led the team with 21 points and nine assists.

In their last action, San Antonio was a 111-86 winner on the road against the Mavericks. They covered the 6-point spread as favorites, while the combined score (197) was profitable news for UNDER bettors.

Team record: 24-8 SU, 19-12-1 ATS
Current streak: won 5 straight games.

is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home
is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Brooklyn
is 18-1 SU in its last 19 games when playing Brooklyn

When playing on Monday are 6-4
Before playing Milwaukee are 8-2
After playing Dallas are 9-1
After a win are 8-2

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