Tim Duncan had 24 points and the San Antonio Spurs hit five 3-pointers in a row to overtake the Portland Trail Blazers for their 10th straight victory, 99-94 Tuesday night.
Manu Ginobili had 23 points, eight in the last 2:13, and Michael Finley added 20 for the Spurs.
Rookie Brandon Roy had 19 points, nine assists and five rebounds to lead the Blazers, who lost to San Antonio for the eighth straight time and 15th in the last 16 meetings. Zach Randolph had 14 points and 12 rebounds, and LaMarcus Aldridge added 14 points.
Portland led by eight points with 4 minutes left and looked on its way to victory when the Spurs, just 4-of-17 on 3-pointers at that point, began hitting 3s.
Beno Udrih started the flurry and Ginobili made back-to-back 3s to cut the lead to 92-91. After a Blazers turnover, Udrih knocked in another 3 with 1:07 left to give the Spurs their first lead since 1-0.
Finley dropped in a 24-foot 3-pointer with 35.9 seconds left and Ginobili scored on a driving finger role to complete a 14-4 run.
Tony Parker returned briefly for the Spurs after missing two games with a strained left hip. He started and played the first half, but sat after that.
Portland shot 50 percent for the game and dominated on the glass, outrebounded San Antonio 41-34.
The Blazers hit 12 of their first 17 shots _ Ime Udoka made five of them _ and took an early 25-15 lead. San Antonio went on a 7-0 run, but Sergio Rodriguez hit a 3-pointer and Portland led 29-22 at the end of the first quarter. Portland went up by 11 on a layup and free throw by Magloire.
Duncan had 14 in the first half, but Portland led 54-47 at halftime.
In the third, the Blazers hit two quick shots, a jumper by Roy and a 3-pointer from Udoka, to increase their lead to 12 right out of the gate.
Portland led 74-65 at the end of the third period, but Finley went to work bringing San Antonio back into it, scoring the Spurs' next seven points to get them within four.
Rodriguez head-faked Duncan into the air and dropped in a jumper, and then fed Travis Outlaw for a nifty layup to make it 86-78.
San Antonio was coming off an 88-74 win over the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday night. With the win over Portland, the Spurs are 11-5 playing back-to-back nights.
Notes:@ Blazers C Joel Przybilla had successful arthroscopic knee surgery Tuesday, the team announced. Przybilla won't return this season. ... Spurs G Brent Barry took an accidental elbow in the face from LaMarcus Aldridge in the third quarter that sent him to the floor and opened up a nasty cut that required stitches. He didn't return. It's not the first time this season that's happened to Barry. He needed several stiches in his forehead after a collision with Sacramento's Ronnie Price in November. ... Udoka made his first six shots and finished with 13 points.
Source: AP News
