AP: Texas

03/09/2007

Associated Press

Manu Ginobili scored 31 points, including five 3-pointers, to help the San Antonio Spurs to their 11th straight win, a 100-93 victory over the Sacramento Kings on Thursday night.

Ginobili scored 11 of San Antonio's first 15 points in the fourth quarter, including three 3-pointers. He finished with 16 points in the period to hold off the Kings, who led several times in the fourth, but had their four-game win streak snapped.

Tony Parker scored 15 points and Tim Duncan had 16 points and 13 rebounds as the Spurs concluded a successful four-game road trip.

With girlfriend Eva Longoria watching in a seat along the baseline, Parker put the Spurs ahead for good on a driving layup with 2:50 remaining, igniting a 9-0 run. On the next possession, Parker flipped in an off-balance, high-arcing shot after being fouled by Corliss Williamson, putting the Spurs ahead 89-86.

Kevin Martin went scoreless in the game's first 17 minutes, but finished with 26 points and had a career-high 12 rebounds for Sacramento. Williamson had 21 points for the Kings, who have won eight of 10 at home.

Defense has been the Spurs' calling card during their season-high winning streak. No team has scored more than 96 points, and four times San Antonio held opponents to 74 or fewer points. The Kings, who scored over 100 points their last four games, committed 19 turnovers.

The Spurs were especially effective in slowing down Kings point guard Mike Bibby, who averaged 21 points the previous five games. Bibby never got going, scoring 12 points on 4-for-14 shooting.

The Kings played their second straight game without Ron Artest, who has been excused indefinitely by the team following an alleged domestic violence incident at his home earlier this week. Sacramento is 5-5 without Artest this season and had won four straight when he wasn't in the lineup.

Ginobili had 12 first-half points, helping the Spurs to a 48-44 lead. Three fouls in the opening half limited Ginobili to 10 minutes. All 15 of Williamson's first-half points came in the second quarter.

Notes:@ A reserve forward, Williamson scored the Kings' first 10 points in the second quarter. Brad Miller was called for a flagrant foul in the third quarter, preventing Robert Horry from scoring underneath. Martin helped beat the Spurs in a playoff game last year at Arco Arena with a fastbreak layup over Tim Duncan in the closing seconds. The Spurs' longest winning streak is 17 games during the 1995-96 season.