SAN ANTONIO—Tony Parker scored 23 points, including a big 3-pointer late in the game as the San Antonio Spurs opened their title defense with a thrilling 101-100 victory over the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday.
Manu Ginobili added 20 points for San Antonio, which shot 53 percent from the field. Tim Duncan had 14 points and 13 rebounds for his 14th double-double in a season opener, the most by any player in NBA history, according to Elias Sports.
“We moved the ball much better in the second half,” Ginobili told reporters. “It was a close game, anything could’ve happened.”
Monta Ellis scored 26 points for Dallas, and Dirk Nowitzki had 18.
Following a video recap of the 2014 season narrated by actor and Spurs fan Samuel L. Jackson, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver presented San Antonio’s staff and players with their championship rings. The inscription inside the ring was “Good to Great,” which was coach Gregg Popovich’s mantra last season.
After Nowitzki gave Dallas a 100-98 lead with a jumper over Boris Diaw with 1:37 remaining, Parker drained a triple in front of the Mavericks’ bench off a feed from Diaw.
Houston’s James Harden scored 32 points, and Dwight Howard added 13 points and 11 rebounds before getting into a shouting match with Kobe Bryant as the Rockets spoiled Bryant’s return to the Lakers with a 108-90 victory.
At New Orleans, Anthony Davis had 26 points, 17 rebounds and nine blocks to lead the New Orleans Saints to a 101-84 season-opening win over the Orlando Magic. AP