Spurs 123, Jazz 98
SAN ANTONIO -- Forward Tim Duncan had a season-high 18 points and led eight San Antonio players who scored in double figures as the Spurs took charge early and ran away with a 123-98 win over the Utah Jazz on Wednesday night to remain unbeaten at home.
San Antonio shot 68 percent from the floor in the first quarter and never looked back, winning for the sixth straight time. The Spurs' 123 points tied their most in a game this season, equaling Monday's total in a win over Milwaukee by the same score.
Duncan, who in his last game at home was held scoreless for the first time in his 18-year NBA career, made San Antonio's first basket and led the Spurs with eight points in the first quarter.
The victory was the 21st straight at home this season for San Antonio, allowing the Spurs to expand their best home start ever and extend their win streak at AT&T Center to 30 games dating to the final nine home games of 2014-15.
San Antonio (31-6) is just the second Western Conference team in history to open a season 21-0 at home, joining Portland, which won its first 26 home games in 1977-78.
The Spurs played without two of their starters as guard Tony Parker missed the game with a sore right hip and forward LaMarcus Aldridge was held out for rest.
Forward Kawhi Leonard added 15 points for San Antonio and center David West and reserve guard Manu Ginobili scored 14 apiece. Forward Jonathan Simmons, reserve center Boban Marjanovic and guard/forward Kyle Anderson had 13 points each and reserve guard Ray McCallum netted 10 points.
Utah (15-18) was led by reserve guard Trey Burke's 21 points and guard/forward Gordon Hayward jumped in 18 points, 16 in the first half. Center Jeff Withey added 10 points and seven rebounds for the Jazz, who lost their second straight game.
San Antonio made 13 of 19 shots from the field in the first quarter, building as much as a 13-point cushion before settling for a 32-22 lead. Hayward and Burke had six points apiece to pace the Jazz.
The Spurs kept shooting -- and making -- their shots in the second quarter while placing four players in double figures (Leonard, Duncan, West and McCallum had 10 each) and building a 68-51 lead.
The 68 points were the most for San Antonio in a half this season.
Hayward's 16 points kept the Jazz within distant reach, but it took him 14 shots to get those points.
Using mostly reserves to start the second half, San Antonio pushed its advantage to 23 points at 86-63 midway through the third quarter. Duncan scored six straight points before leaving the game with 3:10 left int he quarter and San Antonio led 95-74 with a quarter to play.
NOTES: Jazz coach Quin Snyder spent three seasons (2007-10) as the coach of the Spurs' D-League affiliate in Austin, winning coach of the year honors in 2008-09. ... Spurs coach Gregg Popovich was named NBA Western Conference coach of the month for games played in December. Popovich guided the Spurs to a league-best 14-2 record in December, including eight wins by at least 20 points, marking the best month in franchise history. ... Spurs G Danny Green entered Wednesday's game needing two 3-pointers to pass Bruce Bowen (661) as second on the team's career 3-pointers made list. G Manu Ginobili is San Antonio's leader with 1,309. ... Jazz G Rodney Hood scored a team-high 23 points (5 of 6 3-pointers) with a season-high seven assists against Houston on Monday in a 93-91 loss. ... G/F Gordon Hayward has scored 20-plus points in 48.5 percent of the Jazz's games this season (16 of 33). He is currently on pace to score 20-plus points in 40 games this season, which would be the most he has had in a season. The Jazz are 8-8 in games when he has at least 20 points.