SAN ANTONIO —Tim Duncan scored 19 points, Tony Parker had 18 and the San Antonio Spurs won their third in a row, beating the New Orleans Hornets 93-81 Thursday night.

A night after Duncan scored 25 in a win over Houston, it was somewhat surprising that he even played. Coach Gregg Popovich has vowed to limit the 35-year-old’s minutes and playing the West’s worst team seemed to invite a night off.

But the Hornets didn’t make it easy. Carly Landry scored 17 points and Greivis Vasquez added 16 points staring in place of Jarrett Jack, keeping New Orleans close before the Spurs blew out the game in the fourth.

Tiago Splitter added 16 points and Danny Green had 11 off the bench for the Spurs, who improved to an NBA-best 12-1 at home. They need to stockpile all the home wins they can: After hosting the NBA-leading Oklahoma City Thunder on Saturday night, the Spurs won’t be back home for three weeks.

BULLS 105, KNICKS 102

Derrick Rose scored 32 points to outduel fellow All-Star starter Carmelo Anthony.

Rose had 15 in the fourth quarter and repeatedly answered when the Knicks rallied. With Chicago leading 88-83 midway through the final period, the reigning MVP scored on three straight possessions. He split Anthony and Amare Stoudemire to flip in a shot from past the backboard, then hit a 3-pointer to put the Bulls up 95-88.

Stoudemire had 34 points and 11 rebounds but missed a 3-pointer that would have tied the game with 10 seconds left. New York has lost 10 of 12 and now heads into its first back-to-back-to-back since 1999 with coach Mike D’Antoni facing more questions about his job security. New York must travel to Boston to play Friday night before returning home to face the Nets on Saturday.

Anthony had 26 points but just 4 in the fourth quarter and missed a desperation 3 at the buzzer that would have sent the game to overtime. Twice in the last 2 minutes with the Knicks trailing by 3, he had his shot blocked.

GRIZZLIES 96, HAWKS 77

Rudy Gay scored 21 points to lead five Memphis players in double figures and Memphis blew out the listless Atlanta Hawks.

The Grizzlies pulled away late in the first half, closing on an 18-7 run that gave the Grizzlies a 10-point lead at the break. They totally blew it open in the third quarter after Atlanta missed its first seven shots and turned it over three times.

The Hawks were coming off a 4-1 road trip that left them tied with Miami for the Southeast Division lead. But they looked exhausted in their return to Philips Arena, putting up ugly jumpers, playing pedestrian defense and struggling just to hang on to the ball.