Spurs set 3-point mark in 132-102 win over Bobcats

The Spurs opened a 59-44 lead at halftime after hitting 63 percent (12 of 19) from 3-point range. Green was a big part of that, hitting 5 of 6.

The game was tied at 20 when Ginobili entered the game and quickly buried three 3-pointers in between a 3 from Green to help the Spurs open a double-digit lead.

San Antonio continued to build on that advantage and wasn't challenged again.

"We made a lot of 3s," Spurs coach Gregg Poppovich said. "You know, we had a phenomenal night from the 3-point line. When an NBA team does that it makes it pretty tough on an opponent. It's abnormal but it happened tonight so it made it tough on Charlotte."

Frustrated by the team's six-game losing streak, Dunlap benched center Brendan Haywood and Byron Mullens to start the game to send a message to his players.

Gana Diop and Bismack Biyombo started in their spots, leaving Charlotte without a true scoring presence in the frontcourt. Biyombo and Diop came in averaging a combined 4.8 points and, true to form, they combined for just four points on Saturday night.

"It was to let everybody know that there is some live chairs," Dunlap said. "When you're going through this process it's important to live to the standard of how you want guys to play, and for us that's (playing) extremely hard."

The Bobcats have lost seven straight after a 7-5 start and their schedule isn't going to get any easier next week as they host Golden State and the Los Angeles Clippers before traveling to Atlanta.

Dunlap said he'll use the loss as a learning experience.

"We can take clips from this game in terms of where the Spurs are at. They have their core players and four championship rings," Dunlap said. "Their coach has been there for longer than most of us can recall, so their culture is already set whether that's hitting quality shots or how they selected their team. Their core is intact so there is modeling there that we can use."

NOTES: Charlotte received a scare in the second quarter when rookie Michael Kidd-Gilchrist injured his tailbone. But he returned to the game in the third quarter after receiving treatment in the training room. ... Duncan had a season-low two rebounds, but then again the Spurs didn't miss much in the time he was in.