Dec

20

Late Duncan Dunk Helps Spurs Edge Pacers 100-99

Posted by Stephen Rhodes under NBA Game Recap 

Tim Duncan (#21)

The San Antonio Spurs seem to have gotten healthy at the right time, especially with Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili returning from injury and coach Gregg Popovich limiting Tim Duncan’s time on the floor to around 32-35 minutes a game. Apparently, the move by Pops has done the Spurs a world of good.

The Spurs hosted the Indiana Pacers Saturday night and it was arguably one of the more exciting games on the docket; both teams had double-digits during the entire 48 minutes, but it came down to a showdown between Duncan and the Pacers’ Roy Hibbert. Duncan dunked over Hibbert with 4.6 seconds left after having his first shot blocked by the second-year big man, and T.J. Ford missed a fadeaway jumper as time expired, sending San Antonio away from AT&T Center with am 100-99 win over Indiana.

The opening quarter was nip-and-tuck as the Spurs tenuously held on to a six-point lead at 25-19 with 1:10 left in the period and would extend it to nine on a Ginobili three-pointer at the horn. San Antonio increased their lead into double-digits on an Antonio McDyess jumper with 7:52 remaining in the half but Indiana would reduce the Spurs’ lead to five on a Hibbert jumper with 1:08 left in the period; San Antonio would take a 50-45 lead into halftime.

After a technical foul was assessed to Duncan, Mike Dunleavy made the technical free throw then the Pacers would take the lead on a Troy Murphy jumper with 8:48 left in the third quarter. Ford’s jumper with 1:23 left enabled Indiana to take their first double-digit lead at 81-70 and would take their largest lead of the game at 83-70 on a Tyler Hansbrough jumper going into the final quarter. San Antonio slowly reduced the Pacers’ lead to one on a pair of Duncan free throws at 93-92; however, Duncan’s jumper with 3:10 remaining in the game put the Spurs up 96-95. Hibbert’s tip-in with 1:12 left gave Indiana a 99-98 lead until Duncan’s game-winning dunk over Hibbert with 4.6 seconds left, icing the game for San Antonio.

Six Spurs scored in double-digits, led by Duncan with 19 points, 16 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals and 3 blocks while Parker added 15 with 2 rebounds, 4 assists, a steal and a block; Keith Bogans scored 14 with 3 rebounds, 3 assists and a steal. Indiana was led by Murphy with 21 points (including 3 treys), 7 rebounds, an assist and a block while Hibbert added 20 with 7 rebounds, 3 assists, a steal and 6 blocks; Ford pitched in 14 with 2 rebounds, 5 assists and a block.

San Antonio (14-10) plays again on Monday when they host the Los Angeles Clippers while Indiana (9-16) returns home to host the Milwaukee Bucks – also on Monday night.


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