LOS ANGELES, 26 May 2005 — The San Antonio Spurs relied on experience and timely shots from their veterans to put a chokehold on the Phoenix Suns, 111-108.
Tim Duncan scored 25 of his 30 points in the second half while Robert Horry and Manu Ginobili hit key baskets down the stretch as the visiting Spurs stopped the Suns on Tuesday night to take a 2-0 lead in their Western Conference finals playoff series.
For the second straight game, the Spurs took control in the fourth quarter before holding off the high-flying Suns and league Most Valuable Player Steve Nash, who had a chance to put the game into overtime.
Nash sprinted down the right side past Frenchman Tony Parker but was picked up by Bruce Bowen before launching a running 3-point try that bounced off the rim at the buzzer.
“I think we’re doing a really good job of finishing games this series,” Duncan said. “I think that’s through experience. That’s through having guys like Rob, Tony and Manu, and myself out there who have been through it. It’s understanding what we want and understanding we want to get a good possession every time.”
Ginobili scored 26 points and Parker had 24 points for second-seeded San Antonio, which returns home for games three and four on Saturday and Monday — and a chance to close out the series.
“With a veteran team like ours, the guys know what’s at hand,” said Horry, who finished with 10 points. “There’s no need to say anything because everyone is on the same page and everyone knows they’ve got to go out and do what coach Popovich tells them to do.”
Amare Stoudemire had 37 points while Nash had 29 and 15 assists for Phoenix, which lost despite shooting a hot 55 per cent from the field.
“If we play as well as we did tonight we have a great chance to win next game,” Nash said. “The last two games they’ve been phenomenal at making shots in the fourth quarter. At some point you have to say they were better than us tonight. We just have to stay positive and hungry and give ourselves a chance again.”
The top-seeded Suns have dug a hole for themselves following their second consecutive home loss. Despite having the league’s best road record, only three teams have rallied to win a series after dropping the first two games at home. “There is no one in the locker room that doesn’t believe we can’t go to San Antonio and win,” Suns coach Mike D’Antoni said. “We’ve been resilient, we know we’re in a hole and we know what we have to do.
“I don’t think there’s any doubt we can win but it’s going to be tough,” he added. “If we can get Game Three it’s a different ballgame. We’re going to go like it’s Game Seven.”
The Spurs trailed by one when Horry took a pass from Ginobili and buried a 3-pointer from the right wing to give the hosts the lead for good, 103-102.
Ginobili then took over. The free-wheeling Argentine left-hander drove the middle and made a sparkling twisting behind the back right-handed reverse lay up. “There were a couple of prayers in there hoping it would go in,”” Duncan said of the acrobatic shot. “I had my hands up because you never know what’s coming because he’s so unpredictable.”
Ginobili knocked down a 20-foot jumper from the left wing, pushing the lead to 107-102 with just under two minutes remaining.
After Horry split a pair of free throws to give the Spurs a 110-106 advantage, Stoudemire’s lay-in made it a two-point game. Ginobili spit a pair of free throws before Nash missed the 3-pointer to end the game.
