Spurs top Blazers for 10th straight win

03.7.2007

Portland, OR (Basketball News) - Manu Ginobili scored 23 points, and hit two clutch three-pointers late in the fourth quarter, and the San Antonio Spurs rallied from a 12-point deficit to post their 10th straight win, 99-94, over the Portland Trail Blazers.

Tim Duncan scored 24 points and grabbed eight rebounds for the Spurs, who closed the game on a 14-2 run, which included four straight three-pointers. Michael Finley scored 20 points for San Antonio. The Spurs played largely without Tony Parker, who was limited to 18 minutes with a left hip flexor strain that kept him out of the previous two games.

Brandon Roy scored 19 points and tallied nine assists for Portland, which has dropped four of five. Zach Randolph finished with 14 points and 12 boards, LaMarcus Aldridge scored 14 points, and Ime Udoka added 13 points for the Blazers, who have lost eight straight times to the Spurs.

Trailing 92-85 with two minutes left, the Spurs went off behind the arc. Ginobli hit consecutive threes, followed by a Beno Udrih trey that put San Antonio up 94-92, its first lead since 1-0. A Udoka three rimmed out on the ensuing Blazers possession, and Finley hit the dagger on the next possession, another three-pointer to put the Spurs ahead 97-92 with 35.9 seconds left.

An Aldridge dunk made it 97-94 with 30 seconds left, but Ginobli ran the clock down on the following possession and hit a fallaway scoop shot to put the Spurs up 99-94 with 9.9 seconds left.

The Blazers opened up a 12-point lead early in the third quarter after a Udoka trey made it 59-47 with 11:01 left. Portland led 74-65 entering the fourth quarter.

Udoka scored 10 points in the first quarter, and the Blazers led 29-22 entering the second quarter.

Four straight points from Jamaal Magloire posted the Blazers to a 35-24 lead early in the second quarter. San Antonio sliced the lead to three points late in the quarter, at 46-43, but Portland held off the Spurs, and maintained a 54-47 lead at the break.

Game Notes

San Antonio’s Brent Barry suffered a gash over his right eye from an elbow by Aldridge at 5:34 of the third quarter. He left to have the injury stitched, and did not return...Portland center Joel Przybilla underwent successful arthroscopic knee surgery on Tuesday, and is done for the season.

POR SAN

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