NBA Game Summary - Denver at San Antonio

San Antonio, TX (Basketball News) - Tony Parker scored 21 points, Tim Duncan had 18 with 11 rebounds and the San Antonio Spurs clinched their first round playoff series against the Denver Nuggets with a 99-89 victory in Game 5 on Wednesday night.

The Spurs won four straight in this best-of-seven series after losing Game 1 at home. They advanced to face the Seattle SuperSonics in the Western Conference semifinals.

"It’s only going to be the second round," Duncan said. "We’re hoping to go a lot farther than that."

Manu Ginobili also scored 18 points and Robert Horry added 17 for the Spurs, who gained control of the game with a 21-8 run that bridged the third and fourth quarters.

Carmelo Anthony scored 25 points to lead the Nuggets, who haven’t won a playoff series since 1994 when they beat Seattle in the opening round. Andre Miller added 16 points in the loss, while Earl Boykins and Kenyon Martin scored 14 apiece.

The Spurs had 16 turnovers through the first three quarters, but committed just one in the final period. They outrebounded Denver 45-35 and held the Nuggets to 44 percent shooting — though they shot just 45 percent themselves.

"Giving the ball to [Duncan] is usually smart," said Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich. "But it’s all about the defense and the boards for us. If we don’t do that, then we’re in trouble."

The Spurs trailed 65-64 with 1:30 left in the third quarter before two Glenn Robinson free throws gave them the lead for good.

Those shots sparked San Antonio’s 21-8 run, which saw the Spurs go ahead 85-73 on a Parker layup with 3:34 remaining in the game.

"The defense improved, the ball moved a little better at the other end, and we were able to make a run," Popovich said.

Horry and Robinson each hit three-pointers in the run, and they combined to score 12 of the 21 San Antonio bench points during it. The two reserves combined with Ginobili for all 42 San Antonio bench points.

"They were awesome," Duncan said. "They pulled us out of a hole."

The Nuggets got a little momentum from five straight points by Anthony that pulled them within 85-78. But a Bruce Bowen three-pointer — his only field goal of the game — extended San Antonio’s lead to double-digits again with 2:30 remaining.

Denver would never be closer than six points after that.

"Our offense just shut down...I don’t know if it was our offense or their defense," said Nuggets coach George Karl. "They got to the fourth quarter and had that extra confidence we didn’t have."

The Nuggets were 32-8 in the regular season after Karl was hired as head coach on January 27th. They haven’t won a playoff series in 11 years, but with a group of balanced talent, most expect that to change soon.

"They won’t be a seventh seed next year," Popovich said.

San Antonio led 45-43 after a tight first half. Parker and Duncan scored 12 points apiece in the half and the Spurs shot 50 percent from the field despite 12 turnovers.

Martin also had 12 points in the first half to lead Denver, and Anthony scored 11.