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Spurs Beat the Suns in a Rout

From Associated Press

Tony Parker scored a season-high 29 points in only 30 minutes, and San Antonio shot 52% in a 115-94 victory at San Antonio that ended Phoenix’s 11-game winning streak and amplified the ongoing chatter over just how good the Suns really are.

“They just kicked our butts,” said Sun point guard Steve Nash, who scored all 12 of his points in the first quarter. “Maybe that’s good for this team, to face a tough challenge like this.... We can make this a turning point in our season. We can learn that we are not a finished product.”

Phoenix’s full-throttle offense -- the league’s most productive at nearly 110 points per game -- was ground to a near halt by the Spur defense -- the NBA’s stingiest, giving up an average of 85 points per game.

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The Suns, with an NBA-best 24-4 record, didn’t break 20 points in the second and third quarters, and trailed at one point by 31.

San Antonio fell one point shy of its highest point total of the season and held the Suns to one point more than their season low.

New Jersey 84, Chicago 80 -- Vince Carter had 25 points and six rebounds to lead the Nets at Chicago.

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Carter finished nine of 23 in his second game for New Jersey, one night after limping off the court in an overtime loss at Detroit.

Jason Kidd finished with only four points, but contributed with 11 rebounds and 11 assists.

Dallas 113, Boston 94 -- Dirk Nowitzki had 29 points and 11 rebounds, and Michael Finley had 21 points as the Mavericks built a 28-point first-half lead at Dallas.

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The Mavericks, opening a stretch of five consecutive home games, improved to 9-6 at home. Dallas, 36-5 at home last season, had lost three of its previous four home games.

Milwaukee 115, Houston 87 -- Michael Redd scored 28 points, and Desmond Mason had 24 for the Bucks at Milwaukee.

Milwaukee won consecutive games for only the second time this season. Since starting 3-1, the Bucks are 5-15.

The 115 points was the most the Bucks have scored this season, topping their 110 points in a double-overtime loss to Miami on Nov. 14.

Philadelphia 114, Seattle 107 -- Allen Iverson scored 34 points, including 13 in the fourth quarter at Seattle, and the 76ers won their third game in a row. Ray Allen had 32 points, including 19 in the final period for the Northwest Division-leading SuperSonics.

The 76ers beat a Western Conference team for the third consecutive time after starting the season 0-8 against opponents from the West. They’ve won seven of their last nine overall.

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The Nets put guard Ron Mercer on the injured list and signed forward Jerome Moiso.... The Portland Trail Blazers waived center Vladimir Stepania, who has been on the injured list all season.... Milwaukee forward Keith Van Horn was put on the injured list because of an ailing right ankle.

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