Duncan Delivers for Spurs

One night after a cold-shooting Tim Duncan and the San Antonio Spurs narrowly averted an unprecedented semifinal upset, the NBA champions captured the McDonald’s Championship with a 103-68 rout of Brazil’s Vasco da Gama in Saturday’s final at Milan, Italy.

Duncan led all players with 32 points and 18 rebounds and was named tournament MVP.

“When we don’t play well as a team or an individual doesn’t play well, whether it’s Tim Duncan or David Robinson or Mario Elie, you better watch him the next night,” said Spur guard Avery Johnson, who had 14 points and six assists.

The Spurs, who played one exhibition before flying to Milan, upped the NBA’s record to 18-0 in the 12-year history of an event billed as the world club championship.

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Lamond Murray of the Cleveland Cavaliers suffered a sprained left knee late in the second quarter of an 82-68 exhibition victory over the New York Knicks at Syracuse, N.Y., and will be reevaluated when the Cavaliers return home.

Shawn Kemp of the Cavaliers left in the second quarter because of a lower back strain. Kemp, who scored three points, was listed as day-to-day.

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Center Dean Garrett of the Minnesota Timberwolves will be sidelined three to five weeks after knee surgery.

The four-year veteran is expected to return in November. The Timberwolves begin the season Nov. 5 against the Sacramento Kings in Japan. Rookie Radoslav Nesterovic, a 7-footer who has only 30 minutes of regular-season NBA experience, will replace Garrett in the starting lineup.

Coach Flip Saunders said he also expects forward Tom Hammonds to be out three to five weeks because of sore and swollen ankles from stress reactions in his heels.