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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME FLOW
SAN ANTONIO (AP) – It was a familiar scene: The Phoenix Suns
playing in San Antonio and hitting less than a third of their
shots.
|  | | The Spurs' David Robinson blocks a first-period shot by the Suns' Rodney Rogers. |
This time, the Suns managed a season-low point total and dropped
a 91-71 decision to San Antonio on Thursday night.
Tim Duncan had 25 points and 10 rebounds for his 200th
double-double for the Spurs.
The Suns, missing Shawn Marion for the second straight game,
shot 27-for-84 from the field. Jason Kidd finished with seven
points, well below his 15.7 average, on 3-for-17 shooting as
Phoenix scored the second-lowest total in its history, just beating
its 68-point performance against Kansas City on March 8, 1981.
"We just didn't make shots," Suns coach Scott Skiles said.
"We had a wide array of shots we missed. If you're going to play a
team like that and get layup attempts and short jump shot attempts,
you have to make them."
The Suns had won their first two games against the Spurs this
season, both at home.
Phoenix had trouble against the Spurs in San Antonio. On Dec.
16, the Suns shot 31 percent and Kidd went 0-for-8 in the fourth
quarter and finished with 12 points.
The Suns seemed sluggish without Marion, who recently led them
on a four-game winning streak by averaging 21.8 points and 13.5
rebounds. Marion sustained a concussion against Utah and Phoenix's
run was stopped Wednesday night by Orlando.
"It's frustrating, but you know, lots of things happen
throughout the season," said Vinny Del Negro, who had a
season-high 14 points for Phoenix. "You have adversity, you have
injuries. You're going to have your ups and downs."
Poor shooting and Marion's absence weren't the only factors in
the loss.
There was Tim Duncan and David Robinson.
"They were clogging the middle and were knocking down the
outside shot," said Cliff Robinson, who had 12 points on 4-for-11
shooting. "We just have to remember the feeling we had before
these last two games and get right back to it."
Duncan attributed the win to defense.
"They didn't shoot the ball well and that helped," Duncan
said. "But, defensively, we were up on them and made them do things
they didn't wan to do. That's how we win games."
David Robinson also had a double-double with 17 points and 11
rebounds.
"We need David playing like this every night," Duncan said.
"He hops up and down and really affects their shots."
San Antonio built a 10-point lead as the Suns shot just 22
percent in the first quarter.
Phoenix surged back with a 12-2 run, keyed by Del Negro and Tony
Delk, and took a 26-24 lead with 8:45 left in the half.
San Antonio tied the game at 28 and scored nine straight points,
punctuated by Robinson's alley-oop dunk and capped by Sean
Elliott's 3-pointer.
Phoenix cut the lead to 53-49 with 7:58 left in the third on
Cliff Robinson's 3-pointer and a basket by Kidd, but could get no
closer.
The Spurs were up 67-57 at the end of the period and continued
to widen the gap.
Delk led Phoenix with 18 points and seven rebounds.
Terry Porter added 13 for San Antonio.
Game notes
Rogers, who has been starting in place of Marion, was
2-for-14 against Orlando and 0-for-6 for one point against the
Spurs. ... Marion could be back as soon as Saturday against Denver.
... Phoenix had won six of the past eight games against the Spurs,
including last season's playoffs.
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ALSO SEE
NBA Scoreboard
Phoenix Clubhouse
San Antonio Clubhouse
RECAPS
Seattle 101
Cleveland 99
New York 95
Boston 88
Houston 108
Milwaukee 91
San Antonio 91
Phoenix 71
Portland 94
LA Clippers 81
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Tim Duncan knows there isn't much room for error atop the Western Conference.
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RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
Derek Anderson feels the Spurs will win as long as they fight hard.
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RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
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