SuperSonics Finally Lose One to Spurs

Manu Ginobili scored 23 points and Tim Duncan had 21 points and 10 rebounds, leading the San Antonio Spurs to their first victory of the season in three tries against the Seattle SuperSonics, 103-84, on Monday night at Seattle.

The SuperSonics played without All-Star guard and top scorer Ray Allen, who missed his first game of the season because of flu. They also were without Coach Nate McMillan, in Raleigh, N.C., following the death of his mother Sunday. The SuperSonics were coached by assistant Dwane Casey.

Without Allen, the NBA’s eighth-leading scorer, the SuperSonics struggled offensively against the Spurs, the league’s top defensive team.

Ronald Murray, Vladimir Radmanovic and Antonio Daniels each had 13 points for Seattle. Murray, replacing Allen in the starting lineup, shot made five of 17 shots. The SuperSonics shot 41.1% (30 of 73).

The Spurs got 10 points from defensive specialist Bruce Bowen in the first quarter and 12 from Ginobili in the second in taking a 48-34 halftime lead. They scored the last eight points in the final 3:22 of the first half, with Duncan scoring on a tip-in and a 14-foot bank shot.

In the third period, the Spurs led by 20 points four times, the last at 65-45, as Tony Parker scored 11 points. San Antonio was in front, 76-59, going into the last quarter.

Seattle was unsure when McMillan would return. The SuperSonics also didn’t know if Allen would play tonight at Sacramento.

Houston 97, Boston 94 -- Yao Ming had 23 points and Jon Barry scored 15 of his 17 points in the fourth quarter at Boston to lead the Rockets.

Houston blew a 16-point lead but rallied behind Barry, who scored 11 points in the first 2:57 of the fourth, to snap a two-game losing streak. Barry was scoreless in Sunday’s loss at Miami.

The Rockets moved back to .500 on the road in winning their fourth in a row at Boston.

Boston trailed, 47-31, late in the second quarter, then held Yao scoreless during a 32-10 run to go ahead, 63-57, late in the third. Ricky Davis led Boston with 24 points, including 17 in the final quarter.

Philadelphia 89, Indiana 88 -- Kyle Korver made the winning jumper with 6.5 seconds left and Allen Iverson returned from a three-game absence to score 27 points at Philadelphia.

Stephen Jackson led the Pacers with 25 points but missed two free throws with 15.1 seconds left and the Pacers ahead, 88-87. Iverson, returning from a shoulder injury, penetrated on the ensuing possession and passed to Korver for the 20-footer that moved the 76ers into first place by a half-game over Boston in the Atlantic Division.

The Pacers stayed winless in the four games since Jackson returned from a 30-game suspension for his role in the Nov. 19 brawl at Auburn Hills, Mich., and lost for the fifth time in a row.

Atlanta 80, Orlando 79 -- Antoine Walker made a fallaway jumper with 2.3 seconds left at Atlanta to help the Hawks end a four-game losing streak despite blowing a 12-point lead in the final five minutes.

Tony Delk had 17 points for the Hawks. Steve Francis, who had given Orlando a 79-78 lead on a layup with 11.3 seconds left, scored 24 points and Grant Hill added 19, but Hill’s final shot at the buzzer bounced off the rim.

Memphis 98, New Orleans 91 -- Lorenzen Wright and Stromile Swift scored 19 points apiece and the Grizzlies outscored the Hornets, 27-9, on free throws in a victory at New Orleans.

Dan Dickau had 19 points and 12 assists for New Orleans, which trimmed a 12-point deficit to three with 25 seconds left but could get no closer.