Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili took the brunt of the blows and made enough foul shots in the fourth quarter to lift San Antonio past a valiant Deron Williams and the Utah Jazz 91-79 tonight, giving the Spurs a 3-1 series lead.

This was the first game of the best-of-seven series still in doubt in the fourth quarter, causing tempers to flare and bodies to fly. The Jazz got four technical fouls down the stretch, including the ejection of coach Jerry Sloan and usually mild-mannered Derek Fisher. Utah fans — seeing their team lose at home for the first time in eight games this postseason — showed their disgust by hurling things toward the court, appearing to hit San Antonio's Bruce Bowen with something small.

The biggest blow, though, is to the Jazz's comeback hopes. After a 26-point win in Game 3, Utah felt good about its chances to pull off a historic comeback but now will have to win Game 5 in San Antonio on Wednesday night just to bring the series back to Salt Lake City. The Jazz have lost 18 straight games in San Antonio dating to 1999.

The Spurs went into the fourth ahead by one and never gave up the advantage. They protected it by going 19-of-25 from the foul line, with Ginobili making 11-of-13 and Duncan going 5-of-8.

Duncan finished with 19 points, nine rebounds, five blocks and five turnovers. Ginobili had 22 points, 15 in the fourth quarter. Fabricio Oberto had 11 points and 11 rebounds and Tony Parker had his worst game of the series with 17 points, two assists and three turnovers.

This ugly-but-effective performance puts the Spurs within a victory of reaching the NBA finals for the third time in five years, and the fourth time since 1999. San Antonio has won the title each time.

Williams had 27 points and 10 assists in 38 minutes despite fighting a stomach ailment for two days. He was so good through three quarters that pregame reminders of Michael Jordan overcoming illness to have a huge game against the Jazz in the 1997 NBA finals — made even by Sloan — no longer seemed silly.