Spurs ride Ginobili again

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Web Posted: 12/08/2007 01:56 AM CST

Jeff McDonald
Express-News staff writer


A little more than an hour before his team took the AT&T Center floor Friday night, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich unveiled his secret weapon for dealing with the Utah Jazz.

With Tim Duncan still ailing with a sprained right ankle, the Spurs would turn to . . . Matt Bonner?


"He's going to make everyone forget about Timmy," Popovich chuckled.


After the outlasting the Jazz 104-98, and moving to 2-0 without their star forward, the Spurs might wonder why they're even paying this Duncan guy in the first place.


Manu Ginobili returned to his reserve role and still scored 37 points for the second consecutive game, Tony Parker and Michael Finley combined for 31 and, yes, even Bonner made the most of his San Antonio starting debut as the Spurs improved to 17-3 - the best start after 20 games in franchise history.


For the Jazz (13-7), the defeat extended a historic spate of sorrow in San Antonio. It was their 17th consecutive loss in the Alamo City, a losing streak dating to February of 1999 that includes three losses here in last season's Western Conference Finals.

The Spurs' latest victory at Utah's expense did not come easy. After trailing for all but 14 seconds of the first three quarters, and by as many as 11 points in the first half, the Spurs grabbed a slim lead midway through the fourth and never let go.


The triumph came two nights after the Spurs had upended another Western Conference contender, the Dallas Mavericks, also without Duncan. After their second Duncan-less winning decision, Ginobili made sure the world knew his All-Star teammate was not forgotten.


"We really missed him," Ginobili said. "We really need him out there on the court."


Deron Williams and Carlos Boozer offered a double-shot of double-doubles for the Jazz, who made 14 of their first 18 field goals en route to an 11-point lead in the first quarter. Williams had 28 points and 10 assists, while Boozer - taking advantage of a Duncan-sized hole in the Spurs' interior - had 28 points and 17 rebounds.


By half, the Spurs had crawled to within 51-50, but couldn't climb ahead until Bonner's jumper with 6:36 remaining.


With Duncan watching in street clothes, the Spurs were once again forced to pick up the slack without their nine-time All-Star.


Contributions came in all forms, from almost every spot on the roster.


Parker had 16 points, including a crucial jumper that put the Spurs up 96-93 with 59 seconds to go. Fabricio Oberto chipped in 11 rebounds, including five on the offensive end. Finley had 15 points, and hit a pair of huge 3-pointers in the fourth quarter.


His last long ball, with 5:32 to go, gave the Spurs a two-point lead that they'd never relinquish.


Even Bonner got into the act. He ended his night with 13 points, a tally that included two big fourth-quarter baskets.


"With this team, everybody has to be ready when their number is called," Finley said. "I tip my hat to Matt, because he was ready tonight."


For the second game in a row, Ginobili was the Spurs' Ever-ready, the catalyst for all things good. Banished back to the bench after starting against Dallas, Ginobili produced identical results.


He did not shoot the ball particularly well - 9 of 21 - but probed the lane with aggressive abandon and found his way to the foul line. He had 14 points during the fourth quarter, as the Spurs surged ahead for good.


"He's a tough guy and he plays tough out there on the floor every night," Jazz coach Jerry Sloan said. "He plays hard, so things are going to fall his way."


Ginobili still hasn't gotten his ultimate wish. That will probably come Tuesday.


When the Spurs play next at Golden State, Duncan is expected to be back in the lineup.


That is, if nobody has forgotten about him.