Manu Ginobili hit a layup with 1.8 seconds left in double overtime to give the San Antonio Spurs a 117-115 win over the Phoenix Suns on Saturday as the NBA playoffs got underway.
Tim Duncan had saved the Spurs with a rare three-pointer at the end of first overtime and the defending NBA champions took a 1-0 in the best-of-seven first round series. Duncan finished with 40 points and 15 rebounds.
Phoenix controlled play for the first three quarters, leading by as many as 16 points despite early foul trouble for Shaquille O’Neal. The Suns had a six-point lead heading into the fourth quarter.
PHOTO: EPA
The Spurs trailed by three points with 15 seconds left when Michael Finley’s long shot tied it 93-93 to send it into overtime.
With his team down 104-101, Duncan found himself all alone at the three-point line. After only a slight hesitation, he fired and made his first three-pointer of the season with three seconds to play to make it 104-104.
Before Ginobili’s game-winning drive to the basket, Phoenix’s Steve Nash made a three-pointer from the corner to tie it at 115.
The teams will meet again in San Antonio tomorrow before the Western Conference series shifts to Arizona.
Hornets 104, Mavericks 92
In New Orleans, Chris Paul had 35 points and 10 assists in his first playoff game, lifting New Orleans to a come-from-behind victory over Dallas.
New Orleans stormed back from a 12-point halftime deficit and won going away.
The Mavericks had only nine field goals in the second half and no answer to Paul, whose third year in the NBA has included a maiden All-Star game selection and serious consideration for league MVP.
Cavaliers 93, Wizards 86
In Cleveland, Ohio, LeBron James scored 32 points to lead Cleveland over Washington in the opener of the third consecutive first-round playoff series these Eastern Conference rivals have played.
Called “overrated” by Washington’s DeShawn Stevenson in the final weeks of the season, James scored 20 points in the second half to lead the defending Eastern Conference champions.
James sat out the early part of the fourth quarter to rest a troublesome back. But once he returned to the floor, the superstar forward came through.
With the score tied 84-84, James hit a layup between two opponents with 1 minute, 37 seconds remaining. Following a Washington miss, James dropped a floater with 55 seconds left in the game — and one tick to spare on the 24-second shot clock.
Jazz 93, Rockets 82
In Houston, Texas, Andrei Kirilenko scored 21 points to lead Utah over Houston.
Carlos Boozer had 20 points and 16 rebounds for the Jazz, who were a modest17-24 on the road during the regular season.
Utah had a 34-29 rebounding edge through three quarters and Boozer hit 10-of-20 shots.
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