Best bet on the Tube

Tim Duncan says the regular season reminded him of 1999. Now comes trying to finish the playoffs the same way. The San Antonio Spurs play Game 1 today ( 10 a.m. on ESPN) against the Utah Jazz. The Spurs are carrying their sixth No. 1 seed in the Duncan era, which includes the similarly lockout-shortened 1999 season that ended with San Antonio winning its first title. Duncan said Saturday that a 50-win season that tied Chicago for the NBA’s best record wasn’t expected in what he figured would be a “bumpy season” because of so many new faces. The Jazz are going into the playoffs without Jerry Sloan for the first time since 1988. – AP