Spurs top Dirk-less Mavs

By Associated Press

POSTED: 01:30 a.m. HST, Dec 31, 2010

DALLAS » Tim Duncan bounced back from one of the least productive games of his career to score 17 points and reserve Gary Neal had 21, sending the San Antonio Spurs to a 99-93 victory over the Dallas Mavericks last night in a showdown between the top two teams in the Western Conference.

Dirk Nowitzki missed his second straight game because of a sprained knee ligament and the Mavericks have lost both. Dallas had won 17 of 18 with its leading scorer.

San Antonio won for the 12th time in 14 games and improved to 28-4, extending the best start in franchise history. Coming off a thorough victory over the Lakers in which Duncan scored two points, the Spurs got behind in the opening minutes, then used a 21-2 run that started late in the first quarter to go ahead for good.

Magic 112, Knicks 103

Dwight Howard had 24 points and 18 rebounds in a bruising battle with Amare Stoudemire, and host Orlando beat New York for its fifth straight win.

Stoudemire finished with 30 points, four rebounds and four assists but got into foul trouble early in a matchup of two of the NBA's best big men.

Trail Blazers 100, Jazz 89

Wesley Matthews tied a career high with 30 points, LaMarcus Aldridge added 27 and host Portland beat Utah for the second time this week.

Blazers star out indefinitely

Portland All-Star guard Brandon Roy will be out "indefinitely" because of sore knees, the Portland Trail Blazers said yesterday.

The team did not put a timeline on Roy's absence, but general manager Rich Cho suggested it would be lengthy.

Garnett out two weeks

Boston Celtics star Kevin Garnett could miss two weeks because of a strained right calf he suffered when he dunked in a 104-92 loss to Detroit on Wednesday.

General manager Danny Ainge said that an MRI and a thorough examination yesterday showed Garnett's injury was muscular and unrelated to a right knee injury that forced him to miss the 2009 playoffs and was surgically repaired.

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MAGIC 112, KNICKS 103

NEW YORK
Gallinari 2-5 6-7 10, Chandler 11-19 4-6 29, Stoudemire 12-22 6-9 30, Felton 6-22 1-2 14, Fields 0-3 0-0 0, S.Williams 5-7 2-2 15, Douglas 2-4 0-0 5, Turiaf 0-0 0-0 0, Walker 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 38-82 19-26 103.

ORLANDO
Turkoglu 6-12 3-6 17, Bass 5-8 4-4 14, Howard 8-19 8-13 24, Nelson 5-11 0-0 10, J.Richardson 3-9 2-4 9, Anderson 5-8 1-2 14, Redick 5-9 3-3 14, Arenas 4-10 0-0 10, Clark 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 41-86 21-32 112.

New York	23	21	27	32	--	103
Orlando	22	40	20	30	--	112

3-Point Goals--New York 8-22 (S.Williams 3-5, Chandler 3-6, Douglas 1-2, Felton 1-7, Gallinari 0-1, Fields 0-1), Orlando 9-27 (Anderson 3-5, Arenas 2-5, Turkoglu 2-6, Redick 1-2, J.Richardson 1-6, Nelson 0-3). Fouled Out--Turkoglu. Rebounds--New York 41 (Chandler 9), Orlando 66 (Howard 18). Assists--New York 20 (Felton 6), Orlando 22 (Nelson 7). Total Fouls--New York 27, Orlando 21. Technicals--Stoudemire, Howard. A--19,090 (18,500).

SPURS 99, MAVERICKS 93

SAN ANTONIO
Jefferson 3-10 0-2 7, Duncan 5-9 7-7 17, Blair 2-3 0-0 4, Parker 6-16 2-2 14, Ginobili 4-11 3-5 15, Hill 5-8 1-1 12, Neal 6-10 4-4 21, Bonner 1-6 0-0 2, McDyess 3-3 1-2 7, Udoka 0-0 0-0 0, Quinn 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 35-76 18-23 99.

DALLAS
Butler 10-21 9-9 30, Cardinal 3-5 0-0 9, Chandler 4-4 0-1 8, Kidd 5-15 0-0 12, Stevenson 1-3 1-2 3, Marion 4-7 2-2 10, Terry 3-16 0-0 8, Ajinca 3-7 1-1 7, Barea 1-3 0-0 3, Novak 1-1 0-0 3. Totals 35-82 13-15 93.

San Antonio 29 24 18 28 -- 99
Dallas 27 19 18 29 -- 93
3-Point Goals--SA 11-28 (Neal 5-8, Ginobili 4-8, Hill 1-2, Jefferson 1-4, Parker 0-2, Bonner 0-4), Dallas 10-23 (Cardinal 3-3, Terry 2-5, Kidd 2-5, Novak 1-1, Barea 1-1, Butler 1-3, Stevenson 0-1, Marion 0-2, Ajinca 0-2). Fouled Out--None. Rebounds--SA 55 (Duncan 11), Dallas 40 (Chandler 11). Assists--SA 15 (Parker 5), Dallas 24 (Kidd 13). Total Fouls--SA 19, Dallas 22. Technicals--Dallas Coach Carlisle. A--20,604 (19,200).

TRAIL BLAZERS 100, JAZZ 89

UTAH
Hayward 3-6 4-6 11, Millsap 7-15 3-3 17, Jefferson 5-9 3-4 13, D.Williams 5-11 6-7 19, Bell 3-5 1-1 9, Evans 2-3 1-2 5, Fesenko 2-6 3-8 7, Watson 1-3 2-2 4, Price 2-4 0-0 4. Totals 30-62 23-33 89.

PORTLAND
Batum 3-7 2-2 9, Aldridge 10-18 7-8 27, Camby 2-5 0-2 4, Miller 6-11 4-5 16, Matthews 9-16 8-9 30, Cunningham 1-3 2-2 4, Fernandez 2-5 2-2 8, Mills 1-7 0-0 2, Marks 0-1 0-0 0, Johnson 0-0 0-0 0, Babbitt 0-1 0-2 0. Totals 34-74 25-32 100.

Utah	25	16	27	21	--	89
Portland	29	17	33	21	--	100

3-Point Goals--Utah 6-14 (D.Williams 3-5, Bell 2-4, Hayward 1-3, Watson 0-1, Price 0-1), Portland 7-17 (Matthews 4-10, Fernandez 2-3, Batum 1-2, Mills 0-2). Fouled Out--Price. Rebounds--Utah 46 (Jefferson 10), Portland 43 (Camby 20). Assists--Utah 19 (D.Williams 8), Portland 21 (Miller 10). Total Fouls--Utah 31, Portland 24. Technicals--Utah Bench, Camby. A--20,652 (19,980).

NBA STANDINGS

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Atlantic	W	L	Pct	GB
Boston	24	6	.800	--
New York	18	14	.563	7
Philadelphia	13	19	.406	12
Toronto	11	20	.355	13 1/2
New Jersey	9	23	.281	16
Southeast	W	L	Pct	GB
Miami	25	9	.735	--
Orlando	21	12	.636	3 1/2
Atlanta	21	13	.618	4
Charlotte	11	19	.367	12
Washington	8	22	.267	15
Central	W	L	Pct	GB
Chicago	20	10	.667	--
Indiana	13	17	.433	7
Milwaukee	12	18	.400	8
Detroit	11	21	.344	10
Cleveland	8	24	.250	13

WESTERN CONFERENCE

Southwest	W	L	Pct	GB
San Antonio	28	4	.875	--
Dallas	24	7	.774	3 1/2
New Orleans	18	14	.563	10
Houston	15	16	.484	12 1/2
Memphis	14	18	.438	14
Northwest	W	L	Pct	GB
Oklahoma City	22	11	.667	--
Utah	22	11	.667	--
Denver	18	13	.581	3
Portland	17	16	.515	5
Minnesota	8	25	.242	14
Pacific	W	L	Pct	GB
L.A. Lakers	22	10	.688	--
Phoenix	13	17	.433	8
Golden State	12	19	.387	9 1/2
L.A. Clippers	10	23	.303	12 1/2
Sacramento	6	23	.207	14 1/2

Yesterday
Orlando 112, New York 103
San Antonio 99, Dallas 93
Portland 100, Utah 89
Today
New Jersey at Chicago, 10 a.m.
New Orleans at Boston, 10 a.m.
Golden State at Charlotte, 10 a.m.
Washington at Indiana, 10 a.m.
Toronto at Houston, 2 p.m.
Atlanta at Oklahoma City, 3 p.m.
Detroit at Phoenix, 4 p.m.
Philadelphia at L.A. Lakers, 5:30 p.m.