The San Antonio Spurs are starting to get healthy – which could spell trouble for the rest of the league.
Manu Ginobili played in his first game of the season Monday, scoring 12 points to help San Antonio beat Memphis 94-81.
Ginobili missed the first 12 games of the season while he recovered from ankle surgery. He injured his left ankle while playing for Argentina against the United States during the semifinals at the Beijing Olympics.
“I felt pretty good about it,” said Ginobili, who played 11 minutes in his first outing. “I didn’t rush it a lot. I took my time, found the open seam, made a couple of shots. I wasn’t thinking about a great game on my first one, so I’m happy with what I did.”
The return of the team’s leading scorer from last season, and the hopes that injured guard Tony Parker will return soon, gives the Spurs a more optimistic view.
onally because it is good to start seeing our team getting back to full strength.”
In other NBA games Monday, it was: Chicago 101, Utah 100; Houston 107, Miami 98; Orlando 108, Milwaukee 101; Charlotte 93, Philadelphia 84; Portland 91, Sacramento 90; and New Orleans 99, the Los Angeles Clippers 87.
In Memphis, rookie George Hill scored 20 points and Roger Mason added 18 to lead the Spurs, who have won five of their last six games.
O.J. Mayo scored 23 of his 26 points in the second half to lead Memphis, which has dropped seven of its last eight. Rudy Gay scored 13 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, while Darko Milicic had 11 points and 11 rebounds.
Ginobili entered the game with 5:34 left in the first quarter and promptly made his first two shots, the first from outside the arc with the shot clock running down, and the second on a dunk.
“I didn’t want to take a quick one because I’m kind of rusty,” Ginobili said of the 3-pointer he hit 1:27 after entering the game. “In that situation, you don’t have any other options with the shot clock winding down, so, I took it. It was good for my confidence that it went in.”
Bulls 101, Jazz 100
At Salt Lake City, Larry Hughes hit a 22-foot jumper as time expired and Chicago dealt the short-handed Jazz their first home loss of the season.
ing 100-99. The play was reviewed and the shot stood to give the Bulls their second road win of the season.
Rose finished with 25 points, including 10 in the fourth quarter, and nine assists.
Mehmet Okur had 26 points and nine rebounds for Utah, which was without starters Deron Williams (ankle) and Carlos Boozer (quad).
Rockets 107, Heat 98
At Miami, Yao Ming had 28 points and 12 rebounds, Ron Artest scored 20 and Houston finished off a perfect three-game trip against the Eastern Conference.
Rafer Alston added 14 points for Houston, which finished with six players in double figures and outrebounded Miami 51-35.
Dwyane Wade scored 23 points and Mario Chalmers added a career-best 23, including five 3-pointers, for the Heat.
The Rockets finished the Eastern road swing 3-0, marking only the fourth time in the last 12 years they were perfect on a trip lasting at least three games.
Magic 108, Bucks 101
At Orlando, Fla., Dwight Howard had 24 points and 13 rebounds to lead the Magic.
Hedo Turkoglu and Rashard Lewis each added 22 points for the Magic.
Richard Jefferson scored 25 points to lead Milwaukee, which lost Andrew Bogut to a left knee bruise in the third quarter.
Magic point guard Jameer Nelson left with a groin strain.
Bobcats 93, 76ers 84
ourt mate Raymond Felton added 23 points, and the Bobcats used their new speedy and tiny lineup to beat the 76ers.
The 6-foot Augustin and the 6-1 Felton had their best game together since coach Larry Brown inserted the rookie Augustin in the starting lineup three games ago. They helped the Bobcats snap a four-game losing streak despite another meek performance from Charlotte’s front line.
Elton Brand had 18 points and Andre Iguodala added 17 points for the Sixers.
Trail Blazers 91, Kings 90
At Portland, Ore., Brandon Roy scored a season-high 28 points and the Trail Blazers rallied during the final six minutes.
Joel Przybilla added 10 points and 12 rebounds, while Steve Blake had 12 points for the Blazers.
Greg Oden made his first start for Portland since returning from a foot injury on Nov. 12. Oden, the first pick of the 2007 NBA draft, had three points, six rebounds, and four turnovers in 19 ineffective minutes.
John Salmons led Sacramento with 20 points and had a chance to win the game, but his drive to the basket with two seconds remaining came up short of the rim.
Hornets 99, Clippers 87
At Los Angeles, David West scored 27 points to lead New Orleans past the Clippers.
se of pain in his right knee, but backup point guard Devin Brown was back in the lineup, scoring 11 points after spraining his right ankle in Saturday’s 109-97 win.
Eric Gordon scored 25 points to lead the Clippers despite spraining his ankle early in the first quarter.
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