Parker and Spurs put Suns in a 3-0 hole

The San Antonio-Phoenix series was supposed to be a spectacular first-round matchup of potential NBA champions. Instead, it has become a smackdown by the Spurs.

Tony Parker had a career-high 41 points along with 12 assists and San Antonio routed the Suns, 115-99, on Friday night in Phoenix to take a 3-0 series lead.

The defending NBA champion Spurs never trailed in winning their ninth consecutive playoff game and 13th of 14, dating to last season. They can complete the sweep on Sunday in Phoenix. No NBA team has come back from 0-3 to win a series.

It’s the first three-game losing streak this season for the Suns.

Phoenix acquired Shaquille O’Neal to better match up with the Spurs, but the Suns are one loss away from being swept in a seven-game series for the first time since the Lakers did it in the 1988-89 Western Conference finals.

Tim Duncan added 23 points and 10 rebounds and Manu Ginobili scored 20 points in the Spurs’ fourth consecutive playoff road victory and ninth in their last 11.

But Parker did the most damage, often on a pick-and-roll that has flustered Phoenix all series. With three different defenders trying to stop him, he made 17 of 26 shots.

The Suns cut the lead to 13 points twice in the fourth quarter, the last on Raja Bell’s three-point basket with 7:35 to play.

But Parker countered with his first three-point basket and the Suns were finished.

--

Dallas 97, New Orleans 87 -- Dirk Nowitzki and the Mavericks finally made the Hornets look like playoff novices at Dallas.

Nowitzki had 32 points, 19 rebounds and six assists and the Mavericks put the clamps on Chris Paul, who finished with 16 points on four-of-18 shooting. He had 10 assists.

The Hornets’ David West, a fellow All-Star, was three of 16 through three quarters. He finished six of 20 from the field and had 14 points.

His late surge helped New Orleans cut a 17-point deficit to 90-83 with two minutes left, but the Hornets couldn’t close the gap.

“I think we got a lot of shots we wanted,” Paul said. “We just missed them.”

With Paul missing 13 of his first 16 shots, the Hornets couldn’t get into a groove until it was too late.

“We wanted to make sure we made it a series and win this first one,” Nowitzki said. “They’re going to keep coming. It’s going to take the same effort, the same intensity.”

New Orleans’ only consistent scorer was Jannero Pargo, who had 30 points, his most of the season and most ever in a playoff game. Peja Stojakovic was the only other double-digit scorer with 13. The Hornets shot only 38%.

“They came out with a Game 7 mentality, we came out with a Game 3 mentality,” New Orleans Coach Byron Scott said. “From the start, they outworked us. They were more physical, more aggressive.”

--

Philadelphia 95, Detroit 75 -- Andre Miller scored 21 points and the 76ers dominated the Pistons at Philadelphia.

Samuel Dalembert had 22 points and 16 rebounds, and the 76ers led by as many as 24 points in their first home playoff game since 2005.

“They’re not supposed to be where they’re at,” Pistons guard Chauncey Billups said. “They’re up 2-1 against a team nobody thought they could beat. I could understand why they’re happy.”

Richard Hamilton scored 23 points and Tayshaun Prince had 18 for Detroit.

The Pistons, who led the league with just 11 turnovers a game, committed 25, easily their season high.