Duncan comes up big in Spurs' win
By T.A. Badger
Associated Press
SAN ANTONIO — The Los Angeles Lakers had a fourth-quarter plan: Get the ball inside to Shaquille O'Neal. The San Antonio Spurs answered with a better idea: Get the ball outside to Tim Duncan.
Associated Press
Duncan scored 12 of his 30 points in the final period, including three straight jumpers in a decisive 10-0 run, as the Spurs came back for an 88-78 win over the Lakers in Game 1 of their second-round playoff series yesterday.
San Antonio's Tim Duncan drives past Los Angeles' Kobe Bryant. Duncan scored 12 points in the fourth period.
Los Angeles, leading 65-62 after three quarters, had 10 turnovers and scored only 13 points in the fourth quarter, being held without a field goal for a six-minute span.
"We tried to force-feed Shaq, and they got four or five turnovers out of that that helped them get back into the game," Lakers coach Phil Jackson said. "By and large, we were victims of our own inability to execute."
The win was the Spurs' 16th straight since late March. Game 2 in the best-of-seven series is Wednesday.
Duncan drew double-teams almost every time he got the ball in the second half, causing him trouble both posting up and driving. After scoring 15 points in the first two periods, he had only one basket in the third.
Duncan scored on a layup and a jumper in the opening minutes of the fourth, then made his three straight jumpers in the 10-0 run.
"There's not a whole lot of secrets about what we do and what they do," Duncan said. "It's about going out there and imposing your will."
San Antonio's 10-0 spurt ended with a breakaway dunk by Manu Ginobili off a pass from Duncan, putting the Spurs ahead 83-71. San Antonio outscored the Lakers 17-3 on fast-break points.
