NBA Playoffs - Spurs handle Mavs to grab 1-0 series lead
By Homer D. Sayson
PhilBoxing.com
Tue, 22 Apr 2014
CHICAGO -- Down 10 with 7:45 left in the fourth quarter, the San Antonio Spurs went on a 17-4 run the rest of the way to beat the Dallas Mavericks, 90-85, at the AT&T Center.
In other words, it was business as usual for the Spurs, who surged ahead 1-0 in their best-of-7 Western Conference quarterfinals. Game 2 is Wednesday night (Thursday AM in Manila) also at the AT&T Center.
On an ineffective outing where the Spurs made only 35 of 81 field goals, their ageless captain came to the rescue as Tim Duncan drilled 12 of 20 shots for 27 points. The veteran pivot also had eight boards.
Duncan's longtime conspirators - Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili -- also had huge outings. Parker finished with 21 and 6 assists while Ginobili sank 3 of his 6 threes for 17. Kawhi Leonard had another workmanlike effort of 11 points and 10 boards and Tiago Splitter chipped in 8 and 11 rebounds.
Duncan checked out of the game following a knee collision in the third quarter but he came back early in the fourth quarter to fuel the Spurs' game-ending surge.
"It was a charley horse. I know I would just need a couple of minutes and I would be fine," Duncan told NBA.com.
Devin Harris came off the bench to lead the Mavericks with 19 but Dirk Nowitki and Monta Ellis were held to just 11 each and combined to miss 20 of their 28 field goals.
Brandon Wright had 11 for Dallas and Vince Carter finished with 10 more. (Homer D. Sayson)
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