SPURS: Playoff Central 2006
The San Antonio Spurs looked every bit the best team in the Western Conference on Saturday night as they crushed the Sacramento Kings 122-88 at the AT&T Center.
*Parker, Spurs race past Kings in series opener*
SAN ANTONIO (Ticker) -- In their postseason opener, the San Antonio Spurs looked very familiar. Unfortunately, so did the Sacramento Kings.
Sparked by Tony Parker, the Spurs began defense of their NBA title with a resounding 122-88 victory over the Kings in the opener of their Western Conference first-round series.
Seeking their fourth title in eight years, the top-seeded Spurs appeared thoroughly prepared for a run at repeating as champions. They were unrelenting against the eighth-seeded Kings, who reverted to their defenseless approach prior to the arrival of Ron Artest.
Parker scored 23 of his 25 points in the first half, when the Spurs shot a searing 68 percent (26-of-38) from the field and tallied a season-high 73 points, turning the second half into garbage time.
Nazr Mohammed added 18 points for the Spurs, who had seven players in double figures, led by as many as 37 points and finished at 57.5 percent (42-of-73). They already are ahead of their postseason pace of last year, when they lost Game One at home to Denver.
Since the acquisition of Artest on January 26, Sacramento had discovered defense, going 26-14 while allowing just 94.3 points per game. Artest went so far as to boldly predict that the Kings would win the championship.
However, that defense disappeared as Parker penetrated at will, scoring and setting up teammates. He scored 16 points in the first quarter as San Antonio sped to a 32-24 lead.
The onslaught began in the second quarter, when the Spurs scored 41 points and built the lead to 73-39 at halftime. Robert Horry scored five points in an 8-0 spurt that opened the period, Nick Van Exel had nine in a 14-0 burst midway through and Parker tallied seven in a 12-4 run that closed the quarter.
The Kings got no closer than 24 points in the second half and suffered the worst playoff loss in team history, eclipsing a 30-point setback to Utah in 1999. They will try again here Tuesday night.
Van Exel and Tim Duncan scored 11 points apiece for the Spurs, who played no one more than 25 minutes. They held a 51-32 advantage in rebounds.
Mike Bibby scored 17 points and Artest added 16 for the Kings, who shot 39 percent (33-of-84).
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