Polar opposites

Tim Duncan scored 26 points and the San Antonio Spurs scored the first 12 points of the third quarter to break away for a 116-101 win over the host Seattle SuperSonics on Sunday night.

Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker each scored 22 for the Spurs, who at 12-2 are off to their best start after 14 games in team history – one game better than last season.

Reserve Wally Szczerbiak scored 27, including a season-high 20 for the Sonics in the second quarter, and Kevin Durant ended a shooting slump with 25 on 11-for-15 shooting for Seattle, which matched its worst start since its inaugural season of 1967-68. The Sonics are 0-6 at KeyArena, their worst home start.

Seattle’s one surge came when Delonte West, coach P.J. Carlesimo’s current choice at point guard late in games, made a 3-pointer and Nick Collison drove under Duncan for a reverse layup to cut the Spurs’ lead to 101-97 with 5:11 left.

But then West turned the ball over and missed a 3 and Chris Wilcox missed a dunk. Parker, meanwhile, made consecutive baskets – the second a fallaway pushing off one leg – and two free throws to put the Spurs back in command, 107-99.

Cavaliers 111, Pacers 106: At Indianapolis, LeBron James had his fourth triple-double of the season, and Cleveland beat Indiana.

James, the league’s leading scorer, finished with 30 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists. It was the 14th triple-double of his career.

Drew Gooden had 23 points and 12 rebounds, and Sasha Pavlovic added 22 points and five assists for the Cavaliers.

Raptors 93, Bulls 78: At Toronto, Chris Bosh had 16 points and 13 rebounds, rookie Jamario Moon matched his career-high with 15 points and the Raptors beat Chicago.

The energetic Moon added nine rebounds, six blocks and three steals.

Luol Deng scored 21 points in his return to Chicago’s starting lineup after missing the previous three games with a sore lower back.

Jazz 103, Pistons 93: At Auburn Hills, Mich., Carlos Boozer had 36 points and 11 rebounds, Deron Williams added 21 points and 14 assists, and Utah posted a victory over Detroit.

The Pistons played without Rasheed Wallace (knee) for the second game in a row, then had head coach Flip Saunders ejected after picking up a pair of technicals for arguing with official Marc Davis in the third quarter.

Boozer was 17 for 20 from the floor in his best scoring day this season.

Nets 102, Lakers 100: At Los Angeles, Jason Kidd had 15 points and 14 rebounds to help New Jersey overcome Kobe Bryant’s 31 points and beat the Lakers.

Richard Jefferson had 27 points for the Nets. Vince Carter had 19 points in a reserve role and Bostjan Nachbar scored nine of his 15 points in the fourth quarter.

Bryant made 15 straight free throws before missing a clutch foul shot with 6.1 seconds to go.