SAN ANTONIO Tony Parker scored 22 points and Tim Duncan added 20 as San Antonio easily defeated Utah 106-83 on Thursday night, the Spurs' 15th consecutive home victory over the Jazz.
Parker hit all five of his shots from the floor and scored 12 points in the second quarter as the Spurs turned a one-point lead with 8:27 to go in the half into a 15-point advantage at halftime.
San Antonio (22-8) had a 27-point lead heading into the fourth quarter. The Spurs avoided losing three straight at home for the first time since January 2002.
Manu Ginobili returned from a one-game absence because of stomach flu and scored 12 points, had four rebounds and three assists in 19 minutes for the Spurs.
The Jazz have not won in San Antonio in almost eight years.
Utah shot 42 percent from the floor. The Jazz dropped to 1-7 when they are held to less than 100 points. They avoided their season low of 78 points scored on Nov. 27 against Orlando.
Deron Williams led Utah with 11 points.
Carlos Boozer, who leads the league with 22 doubles-doubles, was limited to nine points and seven rebounds on 2-of-10 shooting from the floor.
Andrei Kirilenko, who got elbowed in the head against the Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday and did not return after playing 16 minutes, started against the Spurs. But he was limited to six points in 27 minutes.
The Spurs' defensive effort came just one game after their worst of the season. Milwaukee scored 114 points against San Antonio on Tuesday, the most the Spurs have allowed.
Brent Barry and Matt Bonner also returned from stomach flu. Bonner scored 12 points and Barry seven, both in reserve roles.
After trailing by as many as seven points in the first quarter, the Jazz pulled to 36-35 when Williams hit a 19-foot jump shot 3:33 into the second quarter.
But the Spurs outscored Utah 17-4 during the next 5:55 to go ahead by 14 points.
With Parker hitting two shots before the second quarter ended, the Spurs had a 15-point lead at the break. Parker went 5-for-5 from the floor during the final eight minutes of the half.
Notes: Francisco Elson, who started eight games at center for the Spurs before his torn right rotator cuff injury Tuesday, is expected to be out for at least two weeks. ... Fabricio Oberto, who has started 21 games this season at center, missed the start against the Jazz when he became the fourth Spurs player this week to be affected by stomach flu. ... Robert Horry started for Elson, his first start of the season. ... Utah forward Matt Harpring missed his second straight game with a stomach virus. ... Mehmet Okur and Bruce Bowen kept two of the league's top four current consecutive-games streaks in tact, Okur at 205 straight games (fourth-best) and Bowen with a league-best 384.
- BYU football: Cougars land massive defensive...
- Dick Harmon: John Beck gets a new start in...
- Vai's View: Vai's View: A return to church, a...
- All-time list of returned LDS missionaries in...
- BYU doesn't have a corner on avoiding Sabbath...
- Blue roundup: Jabari Parker tells ESPN.com he...
- Jerry Sloan interviews for Bobcats coaching...
- ESPN reports Warriors want to trade with Jazz
- Blue roundup: Philadelphia Inquirer...
64 - BYU football: Cougars land massive...
52 - BYU doesn't have a corner on avoiding...
49 - Olympic hurdler Lolo Jones says she's a...
29 - Vai's View: Vai's View: A return to...
20 - High school baseball: Alta manhandles...
14 - Brad Rock: Jerry Sloan would be happier...
11 - Dick Harmon: John Beck gets a new start...
11






DeseretNews.com encourages a civil dialogue among its readers. We welcome your thoughtful comments.
— About comments