NBA Game Summary - LA Clippers at San Antonio

San Antonio, TX (Basketball News) - Manu Ginobili scored 12 of his 16 points in the second half to lead San Antonio to a 91-82 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers at the SBC Center.

Brent Barry buried 4-of-5 three-point attempts in a 12-point effort off the bench to help the Spurs post their fifth win in six games. Tony Parker chipped in 11 points for San Antonio, which moved within two games of idle Phoenix for the top spot in the Western Conference.

Cory Maggette racked up 23 points while Elton Brand compiled 13 points and nine rebounds for the Clippers, who saw a brief two-game win streak come to an end.

The Spurs took control with a 9-2 run midway through the second quarter which gave the hosts a comfortable 36-25 lead. Tony Massenburg scored the first four points of the burst, which ended on Barry’s triple with under five minutes remaining before intermission.

San Antonio still held an 11-point bulge in the closing seconds of the first half, but Mamadou N’diaye’s late layup cut Los Angeles’ deficit to 42-33 at intermission.

The Clippers remained within striking distance through the first six minutes of the third quarter, but a 9-3 run capped by Bruce Bowen’s three-pointer extended the Spurs’ lead to 63-50 with 3:43 remaining in the period. San Antonio would bring a 72-57 advantage into the fourth quarter.

The Spurs then scored nine of the first 11 points of the final stanza to break open the game. A dunk by Ginobili put San Antonio up 81-59 with nine minutes to go.

The margin was 18 points, 86-68, with under five minutes left before a late Los Angeles charge brought the Clippers within single digits.

San Antonio led 18-16 at the end of a sluggish first quarter.