SAN ANTONIO — Within a span of six days recently, the San Antonio Spurs lost to the worst team in the NBA, the New York Knicks, and then pounded one of the best, the Atlanta Hawks.
The contrast left their coach, Gregg Popovich, questioning his team’s consistency.
“Do they want to be the team they were in New York, or do they want to be the team they were in Atlanta?” Popovich said before the Spurs faced the Oklahoma City Thunder Wednesday night.
The Spurs responded with their best point production of the season and largest margin of victory. Guard Tony Parker scored 21 points, and forward Boris Diaw added 19, helping the Spurs defeat Oklahoma City 130-91.
“I thought Tony did really a fine job at both ends of the court,” Popovich said. “I think in general we played the way we have to play to win.”
San Antonio (45-26) converted 58 percent of its shots, including 13 of 21 3-pointers.
Parker hit 10 of 14 shots. He had six rebounds and six assists, doing all that work in an efficient 28 minutes. Diaw made 9 of 15 from the field.
Forwards Tim Duncan and Kawhi Leonard contributed 16 and 14 points, respectively.
Guard Russell Westbrook and center Enes Kanter led Oklahoma City (41-31) with 16 points apiece. The Thunder were depleted by injuries, including one to forward Kevin Durant, the league’s 2014 MVP.
Westbrook, guarded primarily by Parker, hit 5 of 9 shots in the first quarter but missed with all seven attempts the rest of the game.
“I had great help from my teammates,” Parker said. “I’m not going to stop him by myself.”
Oklahoma City shot 40 percent and was outrebounded 50-36.
“They just played harder than us,” Westbrook said. “It’s as simple as that. They played with a sense of urgency and we didn’t.”
One night earlier, the Spurs lost at Dallas 101-94 after taking a 14-point lead in the first quarter. The Mavs led by 17 in the fourth quarter. The Spurs committed 13 turnovers in the second and third quarters, a thread connecting many of their defeats this season.
Popovich said the Spurs get into trouble when they try to accomplish things individually instead of collectively. They don’t have the talent to play what some call hero ball.
“The danger is when people think they can start to do it on their own,” Popovich said. “The shots become more contested. The turnovers rise, because the ball is not moving and people aren’t moving.”
Parker had no explanation for why the Spurs sometimes alternate between exceptional and awful.
“I’m still mad from last night,” Parker said. “It’s so weird. We played a great first quarter and then suddenly it just goes away. Then we come in tonight and play great. This is going to be the challenge. We’d better find some consistency if (we) are going to do anything this year.”
The game Wednesday went so well that Parker could laugh at the expense of Diaw, a long-time friend.
Asked if Diaw has been playing more aggressively lately, Parker replied, “Boris plays whenever he wants to.”
NOTES: With F Kevin Durant (right foot) and F Serge Ibaka (right knee) out, C Enes Kanter has been a force in scoring and rebounding for the Thunder. Kanter, acquired in a trade with Utah, has been the Thunder’s second-leading scorer behind G Russell Westbrook, averaging 17.7 in 15 games before Wednesday. Durant has missed all of those games. Kanter has been the Thunder’s top rebounder at 10.9 per game. … A third Oklahoma City starter, G Andre Roberson, missed a chance to play in his hometown Wednesday. Roberson will be out two-to-three weeks with a sprained left ankle. … F Nick Collison, a Thunder reserve, missed the game with a sprained left ankle. … Spurs C Tiago Splittler recently set season highs for scoring in consecutive games with 18 points against Boston and 23 at Atlanta. The 41 points are the most he has ever scored in consecutive games during his five-year NBA career. … Spurs C Aron Baynes has missed four of the last five games, the first two with a rib injury and the last two with a sprained right ankle.