Spurs hold off Nuggets to even series
(AP)Updated: 2007-04-26 10:44 The San Antonio Spurs nearly headed to Denver down 0-2.
After squandering most of a 17-point fourth-quarter lead, the Spurs held on for a 97-88 victory over the Nuggets on Wednesday night to even the first-round playoff series.
Manu Ginobili had eight points in the fourth quarter and Tim Duncan added seven points in the final 12 minutes to save the Spurs from losing two home games against sixth-seeded Denver.
Duncan led San Antonio with 22 points and five blocked shots. Tony Parker had 20 points, Ginobili had 17, all but two in the second half, and Michael Finley added 14.
The Nuggets got within 91-88 on a 3-pointer by Allen Iverson with 45 seconds to play, but Duncan's layup and free throws by Finley and Parker put the Spurs on even footing with Denver, which won Game 1 95-89 on Sunday.
Carmelo Anthony led the Nuggets with 26 points and 10 rebounds. Iverson added 20 points, Nene had 17 points and Marcus Camby had 10 points and 18 rebounds.
Game 3 in the best-of-seven series is Saturday in Denver.
 San Antonio Spurs' Tim Duncan goes up for an uncontested layup passed Denver Nuggets Marcus Camby, right, and Nene, center, in the first quarter of NBA playoff basketball in the AT&T Center in San Antonio, Wednesday, April 25, 2007. The Spurs won the game 97-88 to tie the series 1-1 in the first round of the playoffs.[AP]  |
The Nuggets trailed 74-60 after three quarters. They were down 82-65, but a 16-5 run capped by Iverson's 3-pointer brought Denver within 87-81 with 3:23 left. It was the closest they had been since 7:11 was left in the first half.
Nene's dunk with 1:12 left made it 89-85. Ginobili scored for the Spurs, but Iverson's second 3 of the quarter made it 91-88. Duncan's layup with 27 seconds to go put the Spurs up 93-88.
Finley hit two free throws after being fouled by Iverson with 16.5 seconds left and Parker added two more with 9.9 seconds left.
The Spurs took the lead for good at 11-10 on a layup by Duncan with 5:42 left in the first quarter. They led 49-41 at halftime.
Camby was aggressive off the boards, getting 11 rebounds in the first half. Nene had one rebound at the half and two at the end of three quarters. He finished with seven.
Fabricio Oberto grabbed 10 boards for the Spurs.
Iverson and Anthony combined for 61 points in Game 1.
With just over two minutes to play in the third quarter, Robert Horry blocked Iverson's shot on the break and Ginobili converted for just his second field goal of the game to give San Antonio a 67-55 lead.
On the next possession, Bruce Bowen, who had hit three 3-pointers, stole the ball from Steve Blake and passed to Ginobili, who sank a 3 to put the Spurs up by 15.
It was Anthony's 11 points in the third quarter that kept the Nuggets within 14 heading into the final period.
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