Tony Parker was sore and Tim Duncan was struggling. Yet there was no way the San Antonio Spurs were giving up, not after six months of waiting to reclaim their edge over the Dallas Mavericks.
Parker shook off a sprained ankle to score 19 points and Duncan scored only 13 points but had a key rebound and putback in the final minute of the Spurs' 97-91 victory last night at Dallas in the season opener for both Western Conference powers.
While this game lacked the stakes of their second-round playoff series that wasn't decided until overtime of Game 7, it still featured more intensity than usual:
Dallas' Josh Howard was called for a flagrant foul on Spurs tough-guy Bruce Bowen, and the Spurs' Francisco Elson got a technical for taunting when he shrieked after a dunk.
Mavs owner Mark Cuban said before the game he'd be on his best behavior, per the commissioner's orders, although he seemed heavy on sarcasm, with lines like “going to the University of David Stern.”
Official Jess Kersey was KO'd with a split chin before halftime when a blocked shot bounced hard off the whistle still in his mouth.
L.A. CLIPPERS 96, DENVER 95: Sam Cassell scored 35 points and made a pair of free throws with 12 seconds left to lift the Clippers in their home opener.
The Nuggets, playing their season opener, were without star Carmelo Anthony for most of the second half. He was ejected after drawing two technicals in a three-minute span early in the third quarter.
Cassell sank the free throws after his turnover in the backcourt six seconds earlier had led to J.R. Smith's layup that gave Nuggets a 95-94 lead.
A 20-footer by Denver's Earl Boykins bounced off the rim and the Clippers rebounded as time expired.
Tim Thomas had 21 points off the bench in his first game for the Clippers in Los Angeles, including three 3-pointers in the final 2:38. Corey Maggette added 13 points and Elton Brand was held to eight points on just nine shots.
Marcus Camby had 16 points and 18 rebounds for Denver, and Smith led the Nuggets with 21 points.
