With the Los Angeles Lakers looming in their rearview mirror, the San Antonio Spurs halted their six-game skid in emphatic style Sunday with a 114-97 NBA victory over Phoenix.
George Hill scored 29 points in the rout, which ended a Spurs losing streak of almost a fortnight that saw the once-comfortable lead atop the Western Conference dwindle.
“Before the game, our three leaders spoke up and tried to say that everyone needs to hold themselves accountable,” said Hill, referring to the Spurs’ core of Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili.
“It’s not about one person on this team, it’s about the whole team.”
Later on Sunday, the two-time defending champion Lakers fell 95-90 to Denver.
That snapped the Lakers’ nine-game winning streak and dropped Los Angeles 2 1/2 games behind the Spurs for the West lead.
The Spurs have five games remaining and the Lakers have six. The two will meet for the fourth and final time this season on April 12.
That game could decide who gets home-court advantage throughout the playoffs.
“Nobody will turn down momentum going into the playoffs,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said.
The Suns, who swept the Spurs out of the playoffs last year to reach the Western Conference finals, were eliminated from playoff contention with Sunday’s defeat.
Suns guard Steve Nash didn’t make the trip to Texas because of flu.
Between his absence and San Antonio’s desperation for a victory, Suns coch Alvin Gentry knew his team would be up against it.
“We knew they were going to have a reaction, obviously they lost six straight games,” Gentry said. “They’re fighting like crazy to stay ahead of the Lakers, and the (Eastern Conference leading) Bulls.
“Obviously, it becomes really important to them, and they played that way.”
Matt Bonner added 16 points and 11 rebounds for the Spurs, who have the most wins of any NBA team but have lost their aura of dominance during the skid.
The Spurs led the Lakers by seven games after their previous victory on March 21.
Then Duncan missed four games with an ankle injury and the Spurs surrendered several games late to put their top seed in peril.
“We’ve got a lot of confidence, and hopefully we can finish in first place,” Parker said.
The Lakers need five more wins to reach 60 for the 12th time and the third under coach Phil Jackson.
Jackson has coached seven teams to 60 regular-season victories, and all won the title, including five Chicago Bulls teams.
Pau Gasol had 16 points and 12 rebounds for the Lakers, and reserve Lamar Odom added 17 points and seven rebounds.
Los Angeles got a brief injury scare when Gasol was fouled by Nene on a dunk and hit the floor hard in the third quarter.
Gasol flexed his leg, apparently testing his sore right knee, several times, played another minute then went to the locker room.
However, he returned shortly and re-entered the game.
Follow Emirates 24|7 on Google News.
