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Spurs Slam Hornets to Force Game 7

Posted: 2008-05-16 00:29:12

Filed Under: NBA

SAN ANTONIO (May 16) - The San Antonio Spurs' Big Three came through. Now they have to win one on the road to keep their title defense alive. Manu Ginobili scored 25 points, Tim Duncan had 20 points and 15 rebounds, and Tony Parker added 15 points in the Spurs' 99-80 victory over the New Orleans Hornets in Game 6 on Thursday night.

The win forced a seventh game in the Western Conference semifinals on Monday in New Orleans. Home teams are 20-1 in the second round.

Chris Paul led the Hornets with 21 points and Tyson Chandler scored 14. David West had 10 points before leaving the game early in the fourth quarter after apparently aggravating a back injury.

The aging defending champions and the injured Hornets now get three days of rest before playing Game 7.

"I have confidence," Parker said. "We've won a lot of big games on the road."

Despite the closeness of the series, Game 6, like the five before it, was won by double digits. It was also won, like those before it, in the third quarter, when the Spurs outscored the Hornets 20-12.

"I don't know what to say," Paul said. "That third quarter was ugly."

The Spurs took the lead for good after Parker's jumper with 4:27 left in the first quarter broke a 17-all tie. They led by as many as 24.

The Spurs hit 11 of 21 3-pointers, led by six from Ginobili. The Hornets had just two 3s. But the Hornets had 48 points in the paint to just 28 from the Spurs.

The Spurs shot 49 percent from the field (38-of-77) to the Hornets' 41 percent (33-of-80) and outrebounded them 45-40. The Spurs had 28 assists and the Hornets had 13.

"Thank God we get to go back to New Orleans for Game 7," Paul said.

The Spurs came out with desperate energy, shooting 71 percent in the first quarter. They led by as many as 13 in the opening period after Bruce Bowen's 3-pointer made it 36-23. The Spurs took a 36-24 lead into the second quarter.

In the second period it was the Hornets who heated up - albeit to a lesser extent. Paul scored 10 points in the quarter, though Ginobili countered with three 3s.

The Spurs maintained a double-digit lead early in the second period before the Hornets started chipping away.

Chandler's dunk off an alley-oop pass from Paul brought New Orleans within 46-41 with 5:35 to play. The Hornets got within 55-49 and the Spurs were up 58-51 at halftime.

In the third - the quarter that has been pivotal in just about every game in this series - the Hornets got into quick foul trouble. Paul picked up consecutive offensive fouls, his third and fourth, and West picked up his second and third, all in a span of 1:05.

Then West picked up his fourth foul and, visibly upset about it, also got a technical with 8:44 to play.

West did not score again in the quarter, but Paul kept his composure, hitting another layup and jumper and feeding Chandler for two more dunks.

After Chandler's second slam, which brought the Hornets within 71-63, they didn't score for the last 4:44 of the period and the Spurs pulled away.

Duncan sank a shot over Chandler, then hit a layup and pumped his fist after Ime Udoka blocked Paul's layup attempt. Duncan was fouled but couldn't convert the three-point play.

It didn't matter. The Spurs were firmly in control and Ginobili's back-to-back 3s to start the fourth quarter gave San Antonio an 84-63 lead and put away the game.

With 10:11 left in the game, West left the court after aggravating a back injury.

West, who played with back pain in Game 5, fell to the floor after being picked from behind by Spurs forward Robert Horry, who was called for an offensive foul. Laying face down on the floor, West put his left arm behind him and rested it on his lower back before going to the locker room.

Notes: Spurs C Fabricio Oberto started for the Spurs. Oberto started the first two playoff games before Spurs coach Gregg Popovich switched to Kurt Thomas for the next eight. ... Texas Gov. Rick Perry was at the game, sitting next to Spurs owner Peter Holt. ... Udoka scored 13 off the bench for San Antonio. Peja Stojakovic scored 13 for New Orleans.

2008-05-15 23:30:46

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billstrait2 08:00:49 PM May 18 2008

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go la laker got in bag

noerjr 08:57:40 PM May 17 2008

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In any crowd there's going to be a few without class. Don't judge Spurs fans on the basis of a few. Go into Detroit. You'll have a mob scene there. There's only a few there with class.

dimigl46 08:39:51 PM May 17 2008

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Let's see if you say the same thing after Monday's game when the ref's are partial to the Hornets like they were in Game 5. Robert Horry DID NOT make a move to injury an already injured player who probably should not have been playing in the first place!! The Spurs players have played countless games injured in one way or another and they stand up to the opponents. Give it a rest, this is an unavoidable contact sport and people are going to get hurt.

taftraider 04:10:40 PM May 17 2008

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Sorry. I just went to see if my post made it this time and I see that my earlier one is now there. I said it differently, but I mean the same thing. As far as the Fans yelling Horry, there were some that did that. Out of almost 18,000 fans, maybe one to two thousand may have been involved, which I agree is not right. When David West got up, there were more fans that clapped for him because he was able to get up and nothing serious, like when a football player is out and finally gets up. Overall, SPURS fans are Great fans, and we love our Team just like any fan loves their team.

taftraider 04:05:36 PM May 17 2008

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I don't know what happened to my comments on my previous post, but here is basically what I said. I was at the game and could not understand why West was laying on the floor. They did not show a replay so I had to wait until I got home to see the play on my DVR recording of the game. In No way did Robert Horry Intenionally fould D. West if he fouled him at all. Horry was already standing still with his arms down in front of him covering his family jewels. D. West was backing up and jumped in an attempt to get the ball which was being passed. He came down Horry who slightly leaned forward. If West has back problems, then I can understand why he layed there, since I live with back pain every day of my life. Sometimes the slightest movement for some reason will cause me to become incapasitated from a spasm in my back.

taftraider 03:58:23 PM May 17 2008

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I was at the game and could not see the play in which D. West was alledgedly injured. They did not show a replay at the game. Fortunately, I recorded the game so I could review anything that I missed or became a controversy. I live with back pain every day and quite often my back goes out on me for no apparent reason.

In watching the play on the DVR over and over, Horry did not Intentionally foul D. West, if he even fould him at all. The referees often let obvious fouls, including hard fouls go which are many times greater than that play where Horry and D. West made contact.

luisajruiz 03:47:07 PM May 17 2008

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Let's go SPURS!!!!! They are STILL the Champs until proven otherwise people!!! And West is a big baby!

catndryer 05:41:34 PM May 16 2008

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IF YOU'VE EVER HAD A PINCHED NERVE IN YOUR BACK......YOU KNOW THAT ANY LITTLE TWIST OF YOUR BODY CAN PUT YOU IN EXCRUCIATING PAIN...SO BAD YOU CAN BARELY STAND OR WALK.

THE FACT THAT WEST GOT THROUGH GAME 5 WITH THAT BACK AND SCORED RECORD POINTS.......IS A TRIBUTE TO THE SPURS AND POPOVICH NOT TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE SITUATION.

THE SPURS NEVER TOUCHED HIM IN THAT GAME.....AND ABSOLUTELY SHOULD HAVE POUNDED HIM IN EVERY LEGAL WAY THEY COULD

THE ONLY WAY THE SPURS LOSE GAME 7 IS THEY WIMP THEIR WAY THROUGH IT AND LET THE HORNETTES THROW ALL THE BODY SHOTS.

HORRY SHOULD START IN THAT GAME......AND HAMMER ANYONE COMING ANYWHERE NEAR THE BASKET.....JUST LIKE THE HORNETTES HAVE DONE TO PARKER AND GINOBLI RELENTLESSLY.

catndryer 05:34:46 PM May 16 2008

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THE HORNETTES ARE IN DEEP TROUBLE.

I REALLY HOPE THEY ALL FOCUS ON THE SO-CALLED HORRY HIT.

ALL THE SPURS NEED TO CLOSE THEM OUT IS TO GET AN EVENLY CALLED GAME IN GAME 7.

THE HOMETEAMS HAVE BEEN GETTING THE CALL EDGE IN ALL OF THESE "BLOW EM OUT AT HOME" GAMES.

THE FACT IS THAT THESE ARE TWO VERY EVEN TEAMS.

EITHER THE HORNETTES IMMATURITY WILL KILL THEM......OR THE REFS WILL KILL THE SPURS IN GAME 7.

txryans 01:37:32 PM May 16 2008

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Popovich ordered the hit and Horry delivered. What an old hack! Also, the Spurs fans proved just how classless they are by chanting when West was down.

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