Football
19y

Spurs outlast Nuggets in overtime

DENVER (AP) -- After fouling out midway through overtime, Tim
Duncan called his teammates over for a huddle, tugged on their
jerseys and told them to finish what he started.

They did.

Duncan had his best game of the series and Tony Parker scored 11
of his 29 points in overtime, helping the San Antonio Spurs move
within a game of clinching the series with a 126-115 victory over
the Denver Nuggets on Monday night.

"The guys were great all around -- we never gave up," said
Duncan, who had 39 points and 14 rebounds after struggling with
foul trouble and poor shooting in Game 3. "We've been through this
a lot this year and kind of pushed through all of it, so I don't
think anyone of us gave up at any point."

That's for sure.

Manu Ginobili provided a spark off the bench for the third
straight game, hitting 12 of 16 free throws to finish with 24
points and six assists. Parker finally had success getting into the
lane against the Nuggets, hitting 11 of 19 shots and dishing seven
assists. And Bruce Bowen played his usual role of agitator,
fighting the Nuggets for every inch in the lane.

It all means the Spurs can close out the series in Game 5
Wednesday in San Antonio, where the Spurs have lost three times all
season -- but fell in the series opener to Denver.

"If we don't finish it in the fifth game we have to come here
again," Ginobili said. "You don't want to be in that situation
because then you give them a chance."

Earl Boykins found his shooting touch after three tough games,
scoring 32 points, and Carmelo Anthony finally got his stroke
against the Spurs with 28. It still wasn't enough for the Nuggets,
who need to win three straight to keep from bowing out in the first
round for the second straight year.

"We're in the NCAA tournament now -- single elimination,"
Nuggets coach George Karl said. "If you lose, you're going to sit
a long time. All of us have been there. It's not a fun place to
be."

Part of Denver's problem has been that San Antonio has made the
series a grind, slowing Denver's break and turning each game into
matchups of halfcourt sets.

Game 4 all but came to a halt, with 73 fouls and 91 free throws
-- a perfect fit for the Spurs' physical style.

It still wasn't easy.

Denver trailed by as many as 12 in the third quarter before
clawing its way back in the fourth. Anthony kept the Nuggets in it
in the final minutes, following two free throws by Duncan with a
drive, and after Ginobili's finger roll, Anthony hit a baseline
jumper to tie the game at 105.

Parker hit a baseline jumper at the other end to put the Spurs
up, then Anthony hit two free throws to tie it again with 14.4
seconds left. Ginobili held the ball for 10 seconds on the last
shot, but Greg Buckner knocked it away and nearly hit from
halfcourt.

It proved to be the Nuggets' last chance.

San Antonio took control of overtime, hitting its first three
shots to go up 113-107. Duncan fouled out with 2:55 left when
Anthony fell on a drive, but the Nuggets couldn't get closer than
four after that.

"San Antonio made us play a halfcourt game," Anthony said.
"Our game is to get out in the open court and every time they shot
the ball they sent three of their men back, so it was hard to get
out in transition."

The Nuggets have turned Ginobili into the villain of the series
-- at least in Denver -- calling his game ugly, his headlong approach
wild and even taking a cheap shot at him late in Game 3.

The fans followed the team's lead, greeting him with a chorus of
boos as he entered the game midway through the first quarter and
every time he touched the ball.

Ginobili needed just a few seconds to drop in a 3-pointer on his
first shot in the third quarter. Putting his head down and drawing
contact -- the move that has infuriated the Nuggets all series --
Ginobili had nine points over the final 7 minutes to help the Spurs
to an 87-80 lead.

"I've never been booed that much -- I've always been the good
guy," Ginobili said. "I heard it a little in the beginning, but
when you are in overtime you don't really hear it."

Duncan wasn't bad, either.

He got deep post position all night, setting up a variety of
jump hooks and turnarounds. He had 18 points by halftime and hit
several key shots in the closing minutes of regulation.

"He had a great rhythm tonight, he was aggressive, didn't think
about it and every time he had a shot he took it," Parker said.
"That was the great Tim Duncan I know."

Game notes
The University of Denver hockey team, the NCAA's two-time
champion, was honored during a timeout in the first quarter. ...
Denver Broncos WR Rod Smith attended the game. ... San Antonio
scored its most points in a playoff game since getting 130 against
Golden State on April 25, 1990.

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