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Spurs 103, Pacers 77
Jeff Hawkins is an award-winning sportswriter with more than four decades in the industry (print and digital media). A freelance writer/stay-at-home dad since 2008, Hawkins started his career with newspaper stints in Michigan, North Carolina, Florida, Upstate New York and Illinois, where he earned the 2004 APSE first-place award for column writing (under 40,000 circulation). As a beat writer, he covered NASCAR Winston Cup events at NHIS (1999-2003), the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks (2003-06) and the NFL's Carolina Panthers (2011-12). Hawkins penned four youth sports books, including a Michael Jordan biography. Hawkins' main hobbies include mountain bike riding, 5k trail runs at the Whitewater Center in Charlotte, N.C., and live music.
All posts by Jeff HawkinsUpdated15 Oct 2021
INDIANAPOLIS — San Antonio guard Tony Parker scored a game-high 22 points Monday night, leading the Spurs to a 103-77 win over the Indiana Pacers and into club history.
The win was a regular-season, franchise-record 18th straight for San Antonio and a sixth straight in Indianapolis over the Pacers. The Spurs’ last loss came Feb. 21 at Phoenix.
Forward Boris Diaw came off the bench to score 14 points for San Antonio (58-16), and forward Kawhi Leonard added 13 points and a game-high 11 rebounds.
Indiana forward Paul George scored 10 of his team-high 16 points in the second half. Center Roy Hibbert and guard Lance Stephenson each scored 15 for the Pacers (52-23).
The Spurs, whose overall record and 29-8 road record are the best in the NBA, return home to play the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday.
Parker hit 10 of 18 shots, including seven of 10 in the first half. He finished with four assists and one turnover.
The Pacers lost for the fifth time in six games, with the only victory coming last week over the defending champion Miami Heat. Indiana began the night one game up on the Heat in the race for the No. 1 playoff seed in the Eastern Conference.
The loss was the worst this season at home for Indiana, and it matched a 26-point loss at Houston on March 7.
When a dunk by Leonard put the Spurs up 91-71, the Pacers heard loud boos coming from the crowd at Bankers Life Fieldhouse, where they are 33-5 this season.
The Spurs took charge early. Guard Danny Green hit two shots, including a 3-pointer, and forward Tim Duncan added four points in a game-opening 13-5 run. The Spurs opened up a 10-point in the final minute of the opening quarter on a 3-pointer by Diaw.
Stephenson scored six points for the Pacers in the second quarter, and guard George Hill hit both shots he took, but Indiana trailed by double digits the entire second quarter and most of the second half.
NOTES: G/F Danny Green, who missed San Antonio’s game against the New Orleans Pelicans on Saturday due to right foot inflammation, started Monday night’s game at guard. He scored five points. … Spurs F Tim Duncan is the NBA’s active leader in double-doubles. He has 796, which ranks No. 6 all time. He has 29 double-doubles this season. … Pacers C Andrew Bynum missed his ninth consecutive game because of soreness and swelling in his right knee. He has played only twice since the Pacers signed him Feb. 1 as a free agent. …. Pacers F Paul George has at least one steal in 12 consecutive games, including two in the first quarter against San Antonio. He is ranked No. 7 in the NBA with an average of nearly two steals per game.
