A statement by San Antonio
Spurs never trail in emphatic win over NBA champs.
SAN ANTONIO — Tim Duncan had 23 points and 11 rebounds, and the San Antonio Spurs never trailed against the Miami Heat, weathering a sluggish third quarter for an intense and emotional 111-87 victory Thursday.
Tony Parker scored 17 points, including 14 in a wild first half, Boris Diaw added 16 and Kawhi Leonard had 11 for San Antonio, which has won five straight.
Chris Bosh had 24 points, LeBron James added 19, Dwyane Wade had 16 and Michael Beasley 11 for Miami.
James, who ditched the protective mask he was wearing early in the first half, was hounded by Leonard into 6-for-18 shooting.
James got rid of the mask that protected his broken nose with four minutes left in the first quarter. He missed his first two attempts without the mask, tossing up a wild 14-footer that banged off the front of the rim and backboard, then botching a reverse layup. His first mask-free basket was a 5-foot running floater over Leonard with 6:26 left in the half.
The first home game for the Spurs against the Heat since losing a heart-wrench- ing, seven-game NBA Finals brought out a raucous sold-out crowd and sparked high emotions from both teams.
The Spurs opened the fourth quarter on a 136 run, returning to the breakneck attack that led to a 17-point lead in the first half.
Duncan’s 18-foot jumper gave San Antonio a 9985 lead with three minutes remaining, drawing a fist-pounding of the scorer’s table by Manu Ginobili as he waited to enter the game.
Parker showed no signs of the lower body problems that sidelined him six games last month, driving unrestrained into the paint. He scored four layups in the first six minutes, curling in a twisting layup against Bosh and later burying a shoulder into the center’s chest as they ran down the lane to create enough space for a leaning layup.