(SportsNetwork.com) – The San Antonio Spurs haven’t played since Friday, but
they’ll have to shake off any rust Wednesday when they host the Atlanta Hawks
at AT&T Center.
On Halloween, the defending champion Spurs fell on the road to the Phoenix
Suns, 94-89.
The Spurs lost the lead for good with just under four minutes to go, but had a
chance. Down three with 6.5 seconds left, Boris Diaw was whistled for a five-
second violation just before calling timeout.
Phoenix’s Eric Bledsoe made two free throws and that was the ball game.
Tony Parker supplied 19 points and six assists, while Tim Duncan added 16
points and nine rebounds for the Spurs, who edged Dallas in their first game
of the year on Tuesday.
“It just didn’t go our way. We didn’t get baskets and we didn’t get the stops
that we needed to win the game,” said Parker. “It just happens, it’s
basketball, it just didn’t go our way.”
Diaw finished with 13 points off the bench.
Kawhi Leonard returned after missing the season opener with an eye infection.
He managed six points, all from the foul line. Leonard went 0-for-5 from the
field in 23:39 of action.
Center Tiago Splitter could see his first action of the season on Wednesday
night. He is listed as probable with a calf injury.
The Hawks have been off since a 102-92 home victory over the Indiana Pacers on
Saturday night.
Jeff Teague scored 25 points and dished out six assists in Atlanta’s triumph.
Al Horford tallied 20 points for the Hawks, who have won eight of their last
nine home openers. Paul Millsap had 13 points and DeMarre Carroll ended with
11 points and nine boards for Atlanta, which lost to Indiana in the first
round of last season’s playoffs.
The Hawks held the Pacers to 38.3 percent shooting from the field and 37.5
percent from 3-point range. Indy committed 18 turnovers, including six in the
fourth quarter.
“It’s a big key. I think our defensive intensity was good,” Horford said.
“There are some things we obviously need to work on, but we’ll just try to
keep getting better, game by game.”
Atlanta listed Kyle Korver as probable for Wednesday with an illness.
The Spurs have won seven straight against the Hawks and 14 of the last 15
meetings. San Antonio has won 16 in a row at home against Atlanta. The Hawks’
last win in the Alamo City was Feb. 15, 1997.
