Spurs beat Grizzlies 101-94 behind Leonard, Parker


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SAN ANTONIO (AP) - Kawhi Leonard had 14 points, Tony Parker added 13 points and nine assists, and the San Antonio Spurs got off to a strong start five months after last season's disappointing loss in the NBA Finals, beating the Memphis Grizzlies 101-94 Wednesday night.

The Spurs set a franchise record while outscoring the Grizzlies 30-7 in the second quarter.

Boris Diaw had 14 points and Manu Ginobili and Patty Mills each had 12 points. Tiago Splitter had 11 points and eight rebounds for San Antonio.

Tim Duncan left the game with a chest contusion after taking an inadvertent elbow with 10:50 left in the third quarter. Duncan did not return after retreating to the locker room. He had three points and six rebounds in 17 minutes. His status for Friday's game at the Los Angeles Lakers was unknown.

Tony Allen had 15 points and Marc Gasol and Mike Conley had 14 each for Memphis. Quincy Pondexter had 13 points and Mike Miller 11 in his return to the Grizzlies after playing last season for the Heat.

San Antonio held Memphis to seven points in the second quarter, a franchise low by an opponent for the period and the third lowest for a quarter in team history. The Spurs continually ran a second defender at the Grizzlies, forcing them to pass or take a contested shot.

Memphis failed to score in the opening 8 minutes of the second quarter, missing their first 10 field goal attempts. Before Allen's 3-pointer with 3:45 remaining in the first half, the Grizzlies' only points came on a pair of free throws by Pondexter in the opening minute of the second. Memphis finished the second quarter shooting 11.1 percent from the field: 2 for 18.

San Antonio's revamped second unit dominated, outscoring Memphis' reserves 53-38.

Newly named as the Spurs' backup point guard, Mills gave the team an immediate boost. He had a reverse layup and three straight 3-pointers upon entering the game. He was fouled on his third 3-pointer, draining the free throw to give San Antonio a 37-22 lead with 6:48 left in the first half.

Memphis started the game shooting 29 percent from the field, going 4 for 14.

NOTES: Memphis has lost all 13 of its season openers since moving from Vancouver and is 2-17 in openers overall in franchise history. . The lowest point total for a quarter by a San Antonio opponent is 3 by Denver in the first quarter on Nov. 27, 2002. The second lowest is six by Toronto in the fourth quarter on Nov. 1, 2002. Tiago Splitter, one of the least talkative Spurs, gave the welcoming address to the fans before the game. Splitter promised the team would work hard on the court and in the community and punctuated it with "muchos gracias." . Memphis had to call a timeout 47 seconds into the game when no one remained in the backcourt to receive Conley's inbound pass. . Memphis has lost 15 of 16 regular-season games in San Antonio, with its last victory coming April 9, 2010.

(Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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