Parker takes hard fall in Spurs’ win over Hornets

By PAUL J. WEBER, Associated Press Writer Oct 29, 12:03 am EDT

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SAN ANTONIO (AP)—Other than Tony Parker(notes) crashing to the floor, it was everything the revamped San Antonio Spurs wanted for a season opener.

Parker walked back to the bench OK after a hard landing in the third quarter, leaving the game with 17 points but with rookie DeJuan Blair(notes) and the Spurs already well in command of the New Orleans Hornets in a 113-96 victory on Wednesday night.

Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said Parker simply had the wind knocked out of him after falling to the court almost horizontally following a layup. Blair, meanwhile, continues enticing the Spurs after a dominant preseason, getting 14 points and 11 rebounds in his NBA debut.

The Spurs spent atypically lavishly this summer to add veterans Richard Jefferson(notes) and Antonio McDyess(notes). But so far, it’s been the former All-America from Pitt getting the most buzz.

“He’s showing really good maturity so far,” Popovich said. “You just have to give him credit. He’s got a great way about him and let the game come to him.”

Chris Paul(notes) scored 26 points and got a technical foul along with Jefferson after they met fact-to-face at midcourt following Parker’s hard fall. Both downplayed the exchange after the game, and Paul kept his sense of humor even though New Orleans was never closer than 15 points in the second half.

“We hoped to go 82-0, but we knew it wasn’t too feasible,” Paul said.

Emeka Okafor(notes) had 18 points and 10 rebounds in his Hornets debut after sitting out the preseason with an injured toe. He played 29 minutes, shooting 8 of 14 from the floor.

Also re-emerging healthy was Manu Ginobili(notes), who scored 16 points. He hobbled through last season with bad ankles. Tim Duncan(notes) had nine points and 12 rebounds.

Parker was 6 of 9 from the field and had six assists before his hard landing set off a chorus of gasps at the AT&T Center. Parker had bumped off Hilton Armstrong(notes) in mid-air while putting up the layup, and remained sideways on the ground before turning over on his back and catching his breath.

He went to the bench with 2:21 left in the third and was done for the night. Parker left the locker room without speaking to reporters but appeared fine.

Ginobili, a former NBA sixth man of the year, became a starter last season but opened the season back on the bench for the revamped Spurs.

Hornets coach Byron Scott called Blair “a monster.”

“You know, a 6-5, 6-6 center who comes in and plays 22 minutes and gets 14-11 is pretty impressive,” Scott said. “Especially for a rookie.”

Blair, whose locker is next to Duncan’s, said he’s simply the beneficiary of being on a good team.

“My teammates are taking me under their wing and showing me what to do,” Blair said. “It’s been excellent to have that.”

The summer spending spree put the Spurs over the luxury tax threshold for one of the few times in the Duncan era. The hopeful payoff is a long season of what the Spurs had plenty of against New Orleans: balanced scoring providing an offensive punch that San Antonio sorely lacked last season.

Six players for the Spurs scored in double figures. Matt Bonner(notes) and Roger Mason(notes) had 11 apiece and Michael Finley(notes) had 10.

Jefferson debuted in the starting lineup but struggled, scoring five points on 1 of 7 shooting. McDyess had nine points off the bench.

Poor shooting put the Hornets in a hole quickly. New Orleans missed 10 consecutive shots over a 6-minute span in the first half while the Spurs rolled to a 16-0 run midway through the second quarter.

^Notes: The Spurs rewarded guard George Hill(notes) before the game by exercising the option on his contract for next season. Popovich teased Hill as his “favorite player” throughout training camp but said, straight-faced, before the game that Hill has picked up the game after one season as well as Parker did. …The Spurs have beaten New Orleans in nine of the last 10 games in San Antonio.

Updated Oct 29, 12:03 am EDT
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58 Comments

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  1. Deano Sauve
    58. Posted by Deano Sauve Thu Oct 29 7:02pm EDT

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    Who cares, it's the N.B.A. It sucks!
  2. Jonathan G
    57. Posted by Jonathan G Thu Oct 29 6:07pm EDT

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    your right about one thing and that is i cant wait to see them play this year, and then after the spurs kick the lakers ass i'm gonna hear " ahh man its only a reg season game" man the lakers are gonna fall apart cuz kobe is still a ball hog artest is still artest and who the hell is bynum?? ohh he is suppose to be the next shaq like 4yrs ago right... odom is too busy sharing his candies with he new fat ass wife and gasol is one i respect but he is gonna be injury pleged this year.. but like you said, we'll see..
  3. The computer geek
    56. Posted by The computer geek Thu Oct 29 6:00pm EDT

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    You know the french, once they get knocked down they don't get back up.
  4. LU32
    55. Posted by LU32 Thu Oct 29 5:24pm EDT

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    Fisher is 35 and still making game winning shots. as for your front line old, older, and real old i thought ratliff retired 3 years ago. Bynum, Gasol have no competition. Back in the day when you had robinson and duncan thats the only thing that could compete with our twin towers. pay back feels so good.
  5. <i>aintquittingsoon</i>
    54. Posted by aintquittingsoon Thu Oct 29 5:15pm EDT

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    LU32, how old is Derek Fisher, your Laker's starting guard? Who have you got after him. Shannon Brown I would say. You have Artest. The problem is the Spurs got Jefferson, Hairston, Haislip, and Blair. The frontline of the Lakers are now faced by Duncan, Mcdyess, Ratliff, Mahinmi, Bonner, and possibly Blair too. A good matchup, no?
  6. LU32
    53. Posted by LU32 Thu Oct 29 4:32pm EDT

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    Duncan himself says time is running out. Why else do you think the spurs went over the salary cap for the first time ever? Manu looks great but what is he going to look like in april? the gap between lakers and spurs is a lot closer this year but we are still bigger and Artest makes us tougher. i cant wait till we play you guys. Ariza was brought here to stop Manu now i am not sure who is going to guard him for most of the game. Lakers were built to beat the spurs lets see if we still have the advantage.
  7. Grant
    52. Posted by Grant Thu Oct 29 4:27pm EDT

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    The Spurs are more likely than any time to win out in the West, thanks to the move to grab RJ from Milwaukee (grab? Milwaukee GAVE RJ to the Spurs for NOTHING). They are very solid and will give the Lakers a scare at home this season.
  8. Roc
    51. Posted by Roc Thu Oct 29 4:26pm EDT

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    LU32 your whole post is one big mistake: first of all this is not our LAST chance at a ring the big 3 have plenty left in the tank, now we have Hill, Blair, RJ, Mason and several other youngsters trying to make their mark. The Lakers are over the cap so not only are you mistaking about my team but you don't even know your own so you have NO credibilty. With your "old guys" comment you are obviously referring to last year's team which is cool because last year will be all that you can hang your hat on because THIS year belongs to the basketball's version of the silver and black. Spurs haters!!!!
  9. Roc
    50. Posted by Roc Thu Oct 29 4:23pm EDT

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    LU32 your whole post is one big mistake: first of all this is not our LAST chance at a ring the big 3 have plenty left in the tank, now we have Hill, Blair, RJ, Mason and several other youngsters trying to make their mark. The Lakers are over the cap so not only are you mistaking about my team but you don't even know your own so you have NO credibilty. With your "old guys" comment you are obviously referring to last year's team which is cool because last year will be all that you can hang your hat on because THIS year belongs to the basketball's version of the silver and black. Spurs haters!!!!
  10. 50/50
    49. Posted by 50/50 Thu Oct 29 4:20pm EDT

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    Bob48
    LA might now have a Football team but last time I checked either did San Antonio?......Lakers have 15 Championships and San Antonio has Five.......Talk to me when you get in our NEIGHBORHOOD...!!!!!
  11. missy
    48. Posted by missy Thu Oct 29 3:20pm EDT

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    Spurs going for 5 rings so the nba better be ready 4 those mighty spurs bringing it back 2 san antonio texas its on......
  12. BOB
    47. Posted by BOB Thu Oct 29 3:04pm EDT

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    Lue 32
    dont count your chicken before they hatch, spurs will b there, theres nothin like a smart mouth lakers or yankees fan, remember la is still waiting on a nfl team, ha ha losers
  13. LU32
    46. Posted by LU32 Thu Oct 29 2:44pm EDT

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    Win or lose this is the last chance your spurs have. Way over the salary cap and unlike the Lakers you are losing money. No way your owners pays to keep this group together. Home court in the playoffs takes it. Do you really think these old guys can hang with the world champs?
  14. Justin P
    45. Posted by Justin P Thu Oct 29 1:40pm EDT

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    @ jerome michael J; you can not be a spurs and lakers fan that is retarded they are big time rivals in the west. you can not be a true basketball fan if you like both lakers and spurs, it would be the same thing as liking both the yankees and red sox or liking both the jets and patriots it can not happen!
  15. Roc
    44. Posted by Roc Thu Oct 29 1:39pm EDT

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    I was impressed with how quickly the team is coming together, I knew they would be a good team but with so many new faces I expected them to start off slowly (still get the wins, but not look as sharp) but it was encouraging to see how far along they have come already. The ball movement was great and will only get better, some of the defensive rotations could've been better but it will improve with time. Go Spurs Go!!!
  16. sheri
    43. Posted by sheri Thu Oct 29 1:26pm EDT

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    NO is SA's @#$%. ha
  17. Ryan H
    42. Posted by Ryan H Thu Oct 29 1:13pm EDT

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    Hornets have way to many questions this year. Although, it was nice to see Okafor get rolling 18 pts.....wow.....we might not be to bad this year? 3 bench guys did not play tonight
  18. <i>jeezee10</i>
    41. Posted by jeezee10 Thu Oct 29 12:28pm EDT

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    Spurs fans have every reason to be ecstatic and hopeful after last night's game. Manu is back to his swahbuckling play and Tony is all business. The offense was impressive and the Spurs also outrebounded the Hornets 42 to 33. It was Jefferson who hasn't found his range yet.
    Seems the summer work of getting these horses will pay off!
  19. Jerome Michael J
    40. Posted by Jerome Michael J Thu Oct 29 12:09pm EDT

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    Long time Laker and Spurs fan. I want to see these two teams go up against each other in the WCF. I just don't know who to pick. I love these two teams so much! Go Lakers and Go Spurs!
  20. Dave Travecky
    39. Posted by Dave Travecky Thu Oct 29 11:58am EDT

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    i love that no one in the league can take manu. even at the end of the game he was putting on moves. thanks for getting married lomar K u made alot of owners proud
  21. Leander P
    38. Posted by Leander P Thu Oct 29 11:46am EDT

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    so, Steven, what's your point? So what if 50 Cent never misses a Gossip Girl episode?
  22. j k
    37. Posted by j k Thu Oct 29 11:22am EDT

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    CP3? Beeeotch! Haha
    Gino schooled ponyboy
  23. Jaret
    36. Posted by Jaret Thu Oct 29 11:16am EDT

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    As a San Antonio native, I am pumped to see the Spurs on top again...Its too early to say they will win a ring again but last nights game showed huge potential for the Spurs title shot. Its nice to see that Peter Holt pulled out his fat wallet and spent some big money making the Spurs a contender again...I think D Blair is the second best player in last years draft behind Blake Griffin as far as big boys go...and yes GO SPURS GO!!!
  24. Laup
    35. Posted by Laup Thu Oct 29 9:43am EDT

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    Go spurs go
  25. <i>shivagreg</i>
    34. Posted by shivagreg Thu Oct 29 9:43am EDT

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    Uhh -
    You might want to scratch the Cav's off that list . . .
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Top Performers

 Top Performers
 New Orleans
C. Paul Chris Paul
11-16,  26 Pts
1 Rebs, 9 Assists
 San Antonio
D. Blair DeJuan Blair
7-10,  14 Pts
11 Rebs, 3 Assists

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