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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME FLOW
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) – The All-Star break could not have
come at a worse time for the New Jersey Nets.
|  | | The Nets' Aaron Williams grabs a loose ball over San Antonio's Malik Rose. |
After posting a season-high third straight win, it's now time
for a vacation.
Stephon Marbury scored 38 points and Johnny Newman added
season-high 25 points as the Nets defeated San Antonio 99-97 on
Thursday night, snapping the Spurs' season-best eight-game winning
streak.
"I wish the All-Star game was canceled," Nets coach Byron
Scott said. "We could bring in L.A. (Lakers) and play tomorrow."
In a season beset with injuries, Scott has to be a little
excited at this point. New Jersey (17-34) is finally getting
healthy. Keith Van Horn and Jaime Feick are back in the lineup and
the winning streak has moved the Nets within six games of the final
playoff berth in the Eastern Conference with 31 games left in the
regular season.
"I'd trade the All-Star game in a heartbeat if we could keep
going like this and put together a run that would take us to the
playoffs," said Marbury, who will be making his first All-Star
appearance on Sunday in Washington.
San Antonio's Tim Duncan and David Robinson, who will join
Marbury in the All-Star game, almost spoiled the Nets' winning
streak.
After helping the Spurs rally from an 18-point first-half
deficit, Duncan and Robinson nearly forced an overtime.
San Antonio had three shots to tie the game in the final 12
seconds. Robinson missed a drive across the lane with about two
seconds to go and Duncan, who missed four crucial free throws in
the final 5:05, had the tip fall off the rim just before the
buzzer.
"I thought the ball was down," Duncan said. "I don't know how
it came out. I tipped it right down. I was right at the rim and I
thought it was in. We did have an opportunity to win a couple of
times. We just didn't get it done."
Duncan finished with 35 points and 21 rebounds, while Robinson
added 22 points and nine rebounds.
While Marbury, Duncan and Robinson showed off their All-Star
skills for most of the opening three quarters, it was the
37-year-old Newman who stole the show in the fourth quarter,
scoring 17 of the Nets' 25 points.
San Antonio, which had trailed since midway through the first
quarter, finally grabbed the lead when Duncan hit one of two free
throws for an 84-83 advantage with 5:05 to play.
Newman then scored seven straight points, hitting a drive, two
free throws and a 3-pointer for a 90-84 lead with 3:43 to go.
"When you get into one of those grooves, you know you can score
and you want the ball," said Newman, who hit five of six shots in
the fourth quarter.
San Antonio inched its way back and drew within 96-93 on two
free throws by Duncan with 1:11 to play.
Newman then hit a high-arcing baseline jumper to stretch the
margin to 98-93 with 52 seconds left.
A three-pointer by Terry Porter and one of two free throws by
Duncan got the Spurs within 98-97 with 13 seconds left.
After Newman made one of two free throws with 12 seconds to go,
Derek Anderson missed a jumper for the Spurs with about seven
seconds left.
Feick gave San Antonio its final chances by missing two free
throws, but Robinson and Duncan couldn't convert in the closing
seconds.
New Jersey built a 54-36 lead by outscoring the Spurs 26-13 in
the opening 9:27 of the second quarter. Stephen Jackson came off
the bench to score 12 points in the period and Marbury added 11.
Robinson and Duncan combined for 18 points in a 21-5 spurt that
got the Spurs back into the game midway through the third quarter.
Game notes
Duncan's double-double was his 37th of the season and the
191st in three-plus seasons. ... Spurs forward Malik Rose
aggravated a sore right hip and didn't play in the second half. ...
Feick (heel surgery) had two points and nine rebounds in his first
game of the season. ... Spurs point guard Avery Johnson was
activated before the game but he did not play. ... Van Horn
was also under the weather and had four points in 25 minutes,
including a clutch basket with 1:21 to go.
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ALSO SEE
NBA Scoreboard
San Antonio Clubhouse
New Jersey Clubhouse
RECAPS
Toronto 99
Denver 92
Charlotte 101
Atlanta 84
Houston 103
Detroit 90
New Jersey 99
San Antonio 97
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