Spurs Rally Past Suns

NBA

David Robinson and Sean Elliott have become one of the NBA’s most dangerous combinations, and the Phoenix Suns found out why Monday.

Elliott scored 10 of his 28 points in the fourth period and Robinson finished with 25 points and 10 rebounds, rallying San Antonio to a 105-100 victory. The Spurs, who overcame a 12-point deficit in the second half, have won six straight games and are off to their best start since 1990-91.

“David and Sean stepped up and that’s what we needed,” said coach Bob Hill after San Antonio won in Phoenix for the first time since April 14, 1991, ending an eight-game losing streak in the city.

“We never counted ourselves out,” said Elliott, who has teamed with Robinson this season to average nearly 50 points and 18 rebounds a game. “We were never down and out. Even if we’re down by 10 points with five minutes left, we still feel like we can get it done.”

Charles Barkley had 29 points and 15 rebounds for the Suns, who were outscored 14-3 in the final 3:40 and lost for the fifth time in their last eight games.

“Elliott and Robinson just made some big plays in the last period and we weren’t able to make the shots we needed,” Suns coach Paul Westphal said. “We outrebounded them (48-46) and held down their shooting percentage (46 percent) but we couldn’t stop them down the stretch.”

San Antonio 105, Phoenix 100

SAN ANTONIO (105)

Elliott 9-15 8-9 28, C.Person 2-10 2-2 7, Robinson 10-20 5-8 25, Del Negro 5-12 2-2 12, A.Johnson 7-17 5-6 19, Reid 0-0 0-0 0, Alexander 1-1 0-0 3, Herrera 0-0 0-0 0, Perdue 2-4 0-0 4, Rivers 2-3 2-2 7. Totals 38-82 24-29 105.

PHOENIX (100)

Green 7-9 2-2 17, Barkley 9-22 10-12 29, Kleine 1-2 0-0 2, Finley 5-12 4-7 16, Perry 4-6 1-2 9, Tisdale 0-3 0-0 0, W.Person 5-13 5-5 17, Smith 3-5 1-2 10. Totals 34-72 23-30 100.

San Antonio 31 21 24 29 - 105

Phoenix 21 36 27 16 - 100

3-Point goals-San Antonio 5-18 (Elliott 2-6, Alexander 1-1, Rivers 1-2, C.Person 1-7, Del Negro 0-2), Phoenix 9-25 (Smith 3-4, W.Person 2-7, Finley 2-7, Green 1-2, Barkley 1-5). Fouled out- None. Rebounds-San Antonio 46 (Robinson 10), Phoenix 48 (Barkley 15). Assists-San Antonio 29 (A.Johnson 12), Phoenix 27 (Barkley, Finley 7). Total fouls-San Antonio 26, Phoenix 23. Technicals-San Antonio illegal defense 2. A-19,023 (19,023).