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SAN ANTONIO: Defending National Basketball Association champion San
Antonio ousted Phoenix and New Orleans dumped Dallas Tuesday to book
a second-round playoff showdown against each other.
But the Utah Jazz could not join the Spurs and
Hornets in advancing as the Houston Rockets kept their title hopes
alive with a 95-69 triumph as the focus became clear in the Western
Conference playoff chase.
Frenchman Tony Parker scored 31 points and Tim
Duncan added 29 points and 17 rebounds to power San Antonio past
Phoenix 92-87, giving the Spurs a 4-1 triumph in their best-of-7
first-round playoff series.
The Spurs scored seven of the last nine points
to break a deadlock at 85 and book a date with the Hornets, who used
a supreme performance by Chris Paul to defeat Dallas 99-94 to
capture that series, 4-1.
“The whole series I was trying to be
aggressive, get to the basket,” Parker said. “Now it’s New
Orleans. They are very good. It’s going to be a great challenge
for me to play against Chris Paul.”
The Hornets and Spurs split four regular-season
meetings, but each managed to dominate an opponent that made a major
mid-season trade, the Suns landing star center Shaquille O’Neal
and the Mavericks obtaining guard Jason Kidd.
“We weren’t overconfident but we have a
different mentality,” Paul said. “We expect to win. We expect a
lot from ourselves. We’re trying to set a new standard.”
The Spurs closed the first half with an 18-6 run
for 54-45 half-time lead, but Phoenix closed the third quarter on a
20-9 run to seize a 72-69 lead.
The Suns fell apart when it mattered most,
however, hitting only 5-of-15 shots in the final period while making
seven of their 14 turnovers in the last quarter. Phoenix missed 17
free throws, 13 of them in the first half.
“We were struggling. We had a bad third
quarter,” Parker said. “In the fourth quarter, we played like it
was a game 7.”
France’s Boris Diaw led Phoenix with 22 points
while Amare Stoudemire added 15 points and 11 rebounds.
Canadian Steve Nash hit a 3-pointer to equalize
at 85, but Nash made three key late turnovers and Diaw gave away
another. Parker took advantage for a key jumper for an 88-85 Spurs
lead and the others set up three Ginobili free throws and two more
by Duncan that sealed the triumph.
“We didn’t play too well,” Nash said.
“We should have slowed it down. I take responsibility for that. I
made a couple key turnovers that cost us.
“On paper, we have more talent than they do
but their commitment and understanding of what they do is what made
them better. They make the little plays that make them better.
That’s why they are the champions.”
-- AFP
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