Tony Parker, Spurs hold off Hawks, 98-93
San Antonio Spurs guard Tony Parker (9) works against Atlanta Hawks guard Kyle Korver (26) in the second half of an NBA basketball game Saturday, Jan. 19, 2013, in Atlanta. San Antonio won 98-93. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)
ATLANTA — Tony Parker had 23 points and 12 assists, and the San Antonio Spurs held off the short-handed Atlanta Hawks 98-93 on Saturday night for their fourth straight victory.
Matt Bonner added 17 points, and Kawhi Leonard and Tiago Splitter each had 14 for the Spurs, who gave forward Tim Duncan the night off.
The Hawks announced about 90 minutes before the game that guard Lou Williams faces season-ending surgery for a torn ACL in his right knee. Williams was hurt Friday at Brooklyn and the tear was found when Williams was examined on Saturday.
Then the Hawks lost guard Devin Harris to a sprained left ankle in the third quarter.
Josh Smith led the Hawks with 21 points. Kyle Korver, who started at shooting guard, had 19 points.
The Spurs led by 12 in the first half but Atlanta kept the game close in the final two periods. A basket by Hawks rookie John Jenkins tied the game at 72-all early in the final period, but Bonner’s basket gave San Antonio the lead for good.
Jenkins made two free throws with 22 seconds remaining to cut the Spurs’ lead to 94-91, but San Antonio beat the Hawks’ full-court press for an easy basket by Splitter.
In New Orleans, Klay Thompson had a season-high 29 points, Jarrett Jack scored seven of his 25 in the final minute and the Golden State Warriors beat the New Orleans Hornets 116-112.
The Warriors trailed 110-108 in a topsy-turvy game when Jack hit two free throws with 52 seconds left to tie the score. He converted a tough floater to give Golden State a 112-110 lead, and he finished off the Hornets with three free throws.
In Chicago, Marc Gasol scored 19 points, Zach Randolph had 13 points and 19 rebounds, and the Memphis Grizzlies beat the Chicago Bulls 85-82 in overtime.
Memphis scored the first six points of the extra period, Gasol’s putback making it 82-76. The Bulls cut it to 83-80 on Jimmy Butler’s layup and had a chance to tie, but Nate Robinson missed a 3-pointer with 25 seconds left.
At Salt Lake City, Randy Foye scored 20 points, Derrick Favors had a season-high 19 and the Utah Jazz beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 109-98.
Utah used a 31-point third quarter to take a 16-point lead into the fourth which they never relinquished as they scored their fifth win in six games.
Also Saturday, Marcus Thornton scored 18 points off the bench as the Sacramento Kings held on to beat the Charlotte Bobcats 97-93 for their third win in four games and the L.A. Clippers edged out the Washington Wizards 94-87 to maintain its lead in the Pacific Division.
In other games Saturday, the Minnesota Timberwolves beat the slumping Houston Rockets 92-79 and the Milwaukee Bucks held on against the rallying Portland Trailblazers 110-104.
