Spurs win over Hornets in New Orleans, face Lakers
NBA Obsessed takes you into the hit and run game of NBA Basketball.
Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili celebrate with victory over New Orleans
Image details: San Antonio Spurs v New Orleans Hornets - Game Seven served by picapp.com
In the NBA, some of the natural order has been restored.
The game, like a lot of these games, came down to the final few shots. This in spite of the fact that the Spurs had a big third quarter lead.
Ginobili scored 26 points, hitting four free throws in the final minute, to send the Spurs to the Western Conference finals with a 91-82 victory Monday night.
Parker added 17 points, including a crucial jumper in the final minute, as the Spurs held off a late rally to become the first team in this series to win on the road.
“We really believed we had a chance to win on the road here,” said Spurs forward Tim Duncan, who had 16 points and 14 rebounds. “It’s just a lot of confidence. A lot of games under our belt.”
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The old guard will now face the Lakers in the Western Conference finals. Chris Paul will go home knowing the Hornets need maybe one or two more weapons. There is a certain path to the finals and the Hornets have started down that path.
With a nucleus of Chris Paul, David West and Tyson Chandler, the Hornets appear destined for greater things, but now is not their time.
“One thing I want them to remember when they start working out next season is how they feel right now,” said Hornets coach Byron Scott, adding he was proud that his team, which did not make the playoffs last season, pushed the Spurs as far as it did.
“You have to go through some things before you can really understand how good it’s going to feel when you get to that next level,” Scott continued. “You don’t go from not making the playoffs to winning a championship. It just doesn’t work that way. … We’re headed in the right direction.”
David West led the Hornets in scoring.
West led the Hornets with 20 points, while Paul and Jannero Pargo each added 18. Chandler had 13 points and 15 rebounds for the Hornets, who cut a deficit as large as 17 down to three inside the final two minutes.
In the end, it was the three pointers that cost the New Orleans Hornets the game.
While the Hornets managed to hold Duncan under 20 points by crowding the inside, his Spurs teammates combined for 12 3-pointers to keep alive their chance to win back-to-back titles for the first time.
“We knew the shots were going to be there. It happened today that we just made more,” said Ginobili, who made four 3-pointers. “We just let it fly.”
NBA Basketball Gregg Popovich factoid - Coach Pop has the highest playoff win percentage of .702.
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POSTED IN: Chris Paul, New Orleans Hornets, San Antonio Spurs, Tim Duncan
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