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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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 GAME FLOW
HOUSTON (AP) -- Mario Elie and Avery Johnson always get a charge
out of beating their former team.
Johnson scored 10 of his 14 points in a crucial third quarter
and Elie burned his former teammates with two crucial 3-pointers as
the San Antonio Spurs held off the Houston Rockets 95-85 Friday
night.
|  | | Tim Duncan managed 14 points against Houston's tough interior defense. |
"That's why I'm here," Elie said. "It's like when Terry
Porter came up big, I was here for our guys. I don't get many
shots, but when I get open shots, I've got to knock them down."
San Antonio took a 72-71 lead into the fourth quarter and led
thereafter. Elie's 3-point basket with 7:13 to play gave the Spurs
an 81-77 lead after the Rockets got within one.
With 1:42 to go and the Rockets trailing by five points, Elie
sank another 3-pointer that ended Houston's hopes.
Porter came off the bench lead the Spurs with 18 points. Elie
finished with 15. Tim Duncan had 14 points and 10 rebounds and David Robinson had 10 points and 11 rebounds.
"My game is pretty simple," Porter said. "When Avery needs a
rest, that's when I'm going to get minutes. Right now, my shot is
going real good. I'm trying to contribute with that. It's exciting
the way we started this year."
Walt Williams led the Rockets with 19 points and Barkley had 18
points and 13 rebounds.
"You have to remain positive and this is a test for us,"
Barkley said. "You can't quit. You can die or pass out but you
can't quit. We are only three games into the season but we need to
get it together."
The victory gave the Spurs a 3-0 state and the Rockets an 0-3
start.
Steve Francis stole the ball on the Spurs' end and drove the
length of the court before passing to Walt Williams, who got the
basket while being fouled. The three-point play gave Houston a
26-25 lead with 16 seconds left in the first quarter.
The Spurs went on a 10-2 run early in the second quarter for
their biggest lead of the half at 39-30. Porter scored 11 points
over the final seven minutes of the quarter, allowing San Antonio
to retain the lead.
"It's a great start," Robinson said. "It could not have
started much better than it has. We're not playing as good as we
can play. It's exciting to be 3-0 and getting the arena makes it a
great week."
The Spurs got approval on Tuesday for a new arena. The Rockets
had a similar proposal rejected.
"We're still making mistakes on the game plan, who to leave,
who not to leave," Rockets coach Rudy Tomjanovich said. "That is
so frustrating because we are spending so much time talking about
'don't leave this guy, or do this."'
Game notes
Spurs starters Chucky Brown, Mario Elie and Avery
Johnson are former Rockets players. ... The Spurs have nine players
in their 10th NBA season. ... Steve Francis led NBA rookies in scoring in the preseason and entered Friday night's game ranked No. 6 with a 11.0 average for the regular season. ... After 148
consecutive regular-season sellouts, the Rockets failed to sell out
its home opener Tuesday, the same day a new arena plan was soundly
defeated by Harris County voters. Friday's game was a sellout.
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ALSO SEE
NBA Scoreboard
San Antonio Clubhouse
Houston Clubhouse
Spurs arena proponents celebrate election victory
Voters reject public funding of Houston sports arena
RECAPS
Boston 103
Charlotte 100
Toronto 112
New Jersey 92
Cleveland 104
Orlando 99
New York 103
Detroit 91
San Antonio 95
Houston 85
Miami 105
Chicago 87
Portland 95
Denver 83
LA Clippers 91
Philadelphia 81
Sacramento 100
Minnesota 95
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Steve Francis' slow learning process.
wav: 87 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
Charles Barkley talks about Steve Francis' progress.
wav: 74 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
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