NBA Game Summary - Boston at San Antonio

San Antonio, TX (Basketball News) - Tim Duncan scored 20 points and pulled down 11 rebounds to lead the San Antonio Spurs past the Boston Celtics, 101-89, at SBC Center.

Tony Parker added 16 points and four assists for the Spurs, who won their sixth straight game and are undefeated so far in the month of December (5-0). Manu Ginobili had 14 points in the win.

"It was a good win. We played pretty good defense throughout the game," said Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich. "We had good team play."

Paul Pierce led Boston with 24 points as the Celtics lost for the second time in their last three games. Ricky Davis and Mark Blount each added 19 points in the loss.

"They have two of the most prolific scorers in the league," said Spurs guard Michael Finley of Pierce and Davis. "We didn’t let them get into a comfortable rhythm."

The Spurs, who have beaten Boston 17 straight times, outscored the Celtics in every quarter and never trailed in the game. San Antonio has not lost to Boston since falling to the Celtics back on January 8, 1997.

San Antonio opened up the contest with a 10-2 run with Ginobili and Parker accounting for all 10 points. The Celtics would battle back, though, to cut the deficit to 12-10 with 3:30 left in the frame. However, the Spurs responded with a 7-0 spurt to go ahead nine and held a 22-17 edge after one quarter.

An early 6-0 run put San Antonio ahead 28-19 and the Celtics never threatened in the second period. Duncan’s jumper with 5:51 remaining put the Spurs ahead 37-29 and San Antonio went up by 14 moments later.

The Spurs led 51-42 at the half.

Boston made a run in the third as Raef LaFrentz’s three-pointer pulled the Celtics to within 56-53 with 8:11 remaining. However, San Antonio responded with an 11-0 spurt, capped by Brent Barry’s dunk, to go ahead 67-53 with 5:24 left. The Spurs eventually held a 75-65 edge after three.

"We have to learn how to play with consistency for 48 minutes," Ginobili said. "There are some games that we have that, but it is something we need to improve on."

A 7-0 spurt that was capped by Finley’s three-point bucket put San Antonio ahead 94-77 with 5:17 remaining in the fourth and Boston never seriously threatened again.