SAN ANTONIO, May 22 (AP) -- Only two games into the Western Conference finals, Tony Parker and the San Antonio Spurs already are toying with Utah.
Their big tease Tuesday night: Build a big lead, see it shrink a little, then bury the Jazz with 3-pointers.
Parker made it all possible, using his speed to the basket to draw in the defense then finding his shooters time and time again to help the Spurs beat the Jazz 105-96 for a 2-0 series lead.
The San Antonio point guard scored 17 points and had 14 assists, his most in a playoff game. Many came on tosses into the corners, setting up Brent Barry for his trio of 3s in the second quarter and Bruce Bowen for his three 3s in the fourth quarter. San Antonio shot 55.4 percent for the game and was 13-of-26 from behind the arc, setting a franchise playoff record for made 3s.
"That's what they're giving us,'' Parker said. "Every time I penetrate, they're wide open. They're forcing us to make outside shots and tonight we made those shots.''
Tim Duncan had 26 points and 14 rebounds and Manu Ginobili added 17 points as the Spurs moved halfway to reaching the NBA finals for the third time in five years. They got this close by outlasting the Phoenix Suns in a tense second-round series many considered the de facto conference finals, if not the NBA finals; so far, Utah has done little to dismiss that theory.
Duncan Dominates in Spurs' Game 2 Win Over Jazz
05-23-2007, 06:11 AM
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