LEAD: Duncan, Spurs best the Suns, remain unbeaten at home

By Paul Levine Jan 16, 2012, 7:25 GMT

Los Angeles - The San Antonio Spurs are caught in a conundrum: They are winless on the road but unbeaten at home.

Tim Duncan scored a season-high 24 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, as the Spurs continued their home-court mastery after beating the Phoenix Suns 102-91 on Sunday.

'We've done great at home and protected our home-court but it's time to go out and get one on the road,' Duncan said after the Spurs improved to 9-0 at the AT&T Centre, but 0-4 away from the friendly confines.

Frenchman Tony Parker had 17 points with nine assists while DeJuan Blair scored 14 for the Spurs (9-4), who are off to their best start at home since opening the 2007-08 season at 13-0.

'It feels good to win at home, 9-0 feels great,' Blair said. 'We just go to get it on the road, which we're going to do. We just got to keep playing great.'

The Spurs led by as many as 18 early in the second half and carried an 84-72 advantage into the final 12 minutes but couldn't shake their stubborn guests.

Phoenix pulled to within 86-80 with eight and half minutes left, but Duncan made a 15-foot jumper and one of two free throws, opening up a 90-80 advantage. After the Suns closed to 92-87, Duncan hit a pair of jumpers to start and finish a game-sealing 8-2 run.

'They got a little bit too close for comfort,' Duncan said, 'but we were able to come back and close them out.'

Polish-native Martin Gortat had 24 points and 15 rebounds in the Suns' fourth straight loss. Steve Nash finished with 20 points and 10 assists after sitting out Friday's contest with a bruised right quadriceps.

Elsewhere: Golden State Warriors 99, Detroit Pistons 91: David Lee scored 24 points and Monta Ellis added 22, leading the Warriors past the Pistons, for their first road win the season in five tries.

Greg Monroe tallied a game-high 25 points for the Pistons, who fell for the seventh time in eight games.

Utah Jazz 87, Denver Nuggets 80: Paul Millsap had 16 of his 26 points in the final quarter along with 12 rebounds, Al Jefferson collected 18 points and 12 boards, as the visiting Jazz pulled away from the Nuggets for its seventh victory in the last eight games.

Danilo Gallinari and Nene led Denver with 18 points apiece.