NBA: Spurs trounce Jazz for 2-0 series lead
SAN ANTONIO – The San Antonio Spurs pummelled the Utah Jazz 114-83 on Wednesday to take a 2-0 lead in their NBA Western Conference first-round playoff series.
Tony Parker scored 18 points and handed out nine assists for the Spurs, who are the top seeds in the West and whose coach, Gregg Popovich, accepted his NBA Coach of the Year award before the contest.
“I thought we moved the ball great and our shooters were making shots,” Parker said. “Defensively, I thought we did a good job controlling the boards.”
Tim Duncan added 12 points and 13 rebounds and Kawhi Leonard chipped in 17 points for San Antonio, who will try to maintain the momentum when the best-of-seven series shifts to Salt Lake City for game three on Saturday.
“We have been great at home and we need to continue that,” Jazz head coach Tyrone Corbin said. “They’re going to come in a try and jump us early. We have to try and prepare for that.”
Josh Howard and Al Jefferson scored 10 points each to pace Utah, who shot just 34.4 percent. The Jazz made just one of six from three-point range.
San Antonio took charge from the tip-off, opening the game with a 10-2 scoring run.
After Jefferson scored with a layup, San Antonio answered with seven straight points.
A 22-2 scoring run in the second quarter saw the Spurs lead 53-28 at halftime, and they had no trouble preserving the lead in the second half.
San Antonio led by as many as 36 after Boris Diaw drove for a layup late in the third and they took an 87-53 lead into the final period.
Later Wednesday, the Memphis Grizzlies were trying to bounce back after a demoralizing opening defeat to the Los Angeles Clippers.
The Clippers roared back to erase a 27-point second-half deficit to win game one 99-98 on Sunday.
The Los Angeles Lakers and Oklahoma City Thunder both hold 2-0 leads in their Western Conference series.
The reigning NBA champion Dallas Mavericks will try to gain a toe-hold against the Thunder when they host game three on Thursday, while the Denver Nuggets will try to bounce back when they host the Lakers in their game three on Friday.
