Arenas kept to 17 points as Spurs knock off Wizards

SAN ANTONIO (AP) -- Wizards coach Eddie Jordan acknowledged that he lost his cool Saturday night.

To say the least.

Jordan was ejected in the third quarter of Washington's 93-80 loss to the San Antonio Spurs after going onto the court to yell at the officials.

"I lost my composure, and I probably shouldn't have," Jordan said. "And that's the way it is. You just go back there, watch the game by yourself and root for the team."

With or without Jordan, the Wizards weren't showing much of the form that led them to victories in 11 of their previous 15 games.

They shot just 27-of-87 (31 percent) from the field and had only eight assists while tying their season low in points.

Gilbert Arenas led the Wizards with 17 points, well below his average of 30 per game, as he went 6-of-20 from the field.

"I thought we did a pretty good job to control him. He's having an unbelievable season," said Tony Parker, who had 13 points and 10 rebounds.

Tim Duncan had 18 points and 11 rebounds for San Antonio, while Fabricio Oberto had five points and grabbed 10 rebounds in the Spurs' impressive defensive effort.

"I think for the last two or three weeks we've become the defensive team, or we're on the road to becoming the defensive team we've been the last six or eight years," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said.

Antonio Daniels had 12 points for Washington, Antawn Jamison added 11 and Caron Butler and Andray Blatche had 10 apiece. Butler also had 12 boards.

"Offensively we couldn't get any flow. We got to the paint, missed layups, missed jump shots," Butler said. "The shots we usually make. So we just got to tip our hat to them and get ready for the next challenge."

Meanwhile, Manu Ginobili led the Spurs with 19 points and found himself in the middle of Jordan's outburst.

With 5:25 left in the third, Ginobili stripped Arenas of the ball. Parker got hold of it, then passed it back to Ginobili, who took it down court for a fast-break dunk.

Washington's coaches came out onto the court yelling at the officials, apparently because no foul was called. Jordan charged way out onto the floor, pushing through a couple of his own players who were trying to hold him back.

He was quickly given two technicals and ejected from the game.

"I got fouled three times on that play," Arenas said. "Bruce (Bowen) got me on the arm, and then (Robert) Horry and Ginobili.

"If it had happened to Tim Duncan, Pop would have gotten mad, too."

The Spurs took a 29-15 lead into the second quarter. The Wizards tied their season-low total for a first quarter.

"We came out and it was just bad possession after possession, we couldn't find that rim," Arenas said. "Our target was off."

San Antonio extended the lead to 17 points, but an 8-0 run by the Wizards cut it to 44-38 at halftime.

With about 8½ minutes left in the third, San Antonio's Matt Bonner had to be carried off the court after injuring his left knee. The Spurs said he tore his left MCL and will undergo an MRI Sunday. He is expected to miss two to six weeks. Bonner had two points Saturday.

The Spurs ended the third quarter up 69-54.

With 10:05 left in the fourth, officials called a technical on the Spurs' Robert Horry just after he'd been called for a foul.<

The Spurs improved to 27-11; the Wizards fell to 20-16.

Game notes
The Spurs have won seven straight at home against the Wizards. ... The Spurs will visit the Chicago Bulls on Monday. The Wizards will take on the Utah Jazz in Washington. ... Saturday's game was "Spurs Military Appreciation Night." At halftime, former Spur David Robinson, who spent two years in the Navy, presented Purple Hearts to several wounded service members.