Spurs Majestic Against the Kings

It has been more than nine years since any opponent played such stifling defense at Sacramento, yet the San Antonio Spurs refused to take a bow.

Tim Duncan had 23 points and 13 rebounds, and San Antonio snapped the Kings’ six-game winning streak with a 103-73 victory Sunday night.

“It’s still just a regular-season game, but it’s encouraging to do this against a team that scores like Sacramento,” Duncan said.

Sacramento finished with season lows in points, three-pointers (one for nine) and assists (eight) in its worst defeat at home since a 40-point loss to Houston on Dec. 12, 1995.

“We did nothing. We played like we didn’t trust each other,” King Coach Rick Adelman said.

The Spurs took a 16-point lead in the first quarter and made it 28 in the third, improving the NBA’s best record to 34-9.

The Kings lead the NBA in assists, but they had only three in the first three quarters, finishing with their lowest total since the franchise moved to Sacramento 20 years ago. Chris Webber played only 13 minutes because of an ankle injury, and Peja Stojakovic was held to eight points.

“They know how to take advantage of your weaknesses, especially on defense,” said Stojakovic, who made three of 12 shots. “They controlled the game. It was a really bad loss, but the Spurs are a great team.”

Milwaukee 101, New York 96 -- Desmond Mason scored 22 points to lead six Bucks in double figures at New York to hold off the free-falling Knicks and spoil the debut of Coach Herb Williams.

It was the 10th loss in 11 games for New York, and came one day after Lenny Wilkens stepped down as coach. Williams, an assistant under Wilkens, assumed the job for the rest of the season.

Stephon Marbury had 33 points for New York.

Phoenix 113, New Jersey 105 -- Amare Stoudemire scored 33 points on 13-for-16 shooting and Steve Nash had a season-high 30 points at Phoenix to help end the Suns’ six-game losing streak.

Stoudemire made his first eight shots and 13 of 14 before missing two in a row in the fourth quarter.

Vince Carter scored 32 points for the Nets.

Jim Jackson, in his first game for Phoenix following his acquisition from New Orleans, scored two points on one-for-three shooting in 17 minutes.

Miami 97, New Orleans 68 -- Dwyane Wade had 18 points and seven assists and the Heat built a 25-point first-quarter lead in a victory at Miami.

Miami’s 56-25 halftime lead matched the franchise’s largest after two quarters -- and marked the lowest scoring first-half in Hornets’ franchise history; the previous low was 27 in 1990.

Dallas 95, Denver 93 -- Dirk Nowitzki scored nine of his 35 points in the final five minutes -- including a three-point play with 17.9 seconds left -- to lift the Mavericks at Dallas. Kenyon Martin led Denver with 19 points and 11 rebounds.

Seattle 122, Utah 105 -- Rashard Lewis had 36 points and the SuperSonics opened the fourth quarter with a 13-2 run in winning at Seattle.

Carlos Boozer led Utah with 20 points.

Toronto 103, Charlotte 92 -- Jalen Rose scored 14 of his 22 points in a fourth quarter in which the Raptors outscored the Bobcats, 26-12, to win at Toronto. The Bobcats lost their eighth in a row.