News / Sports
NBA Scores: Indiana Pacers Nip Spurs to Keep Playoff Hopes Alive
Mike Dunleavy scored 21 points while Jamaal Tinsley and Troy Murphy each added 20 as the Indiana Pacers (32-41) beat the San Antonio Spurs (52-21) 100-99 to keep their playoff hopes alive in the Eastern Conference. The Pacers trail the Orlando Magic by 1 ½ games for the eighth spot in the playoff chase.
The Pacers jumped on the Spurs early in the first quarter and built a 13-3 lead in the first three and a half minutes. San Antonio ran off the next 14 points to take the lead 17-13 and closed the quarter with a six point advantage.
Indiana started the second quarter with the first six points to even the score at 32-32 but San Antonio scored the next nine to were up 41-32. The Pacers worked their way back into the game and Danny Granger tied the score at 49-49 with a driving layup. Mike Dunleavy then gave the Pacers a 51-49 lead with a dunk with 2:14 left in the half. San Antonio was able to knot it up with 10 seconds left on a drive by Tony Parker.
In the third quarter the Pacers built an eight point lead but couldn’t put the Spurs away. San Antonio fought back and cut their deficit to one after Manu Ginobili hit one of two from the foul-line with 1:29 left in the quarter. Indiana was able to tack another point onto their lead and went into the fourth quarter in front 77-75.
Indiana moved their lead to five after Jamaal Tinsley hit a running jumper but the Spurs used a 12-2 run to grab their own five point lead, 91-86. Tim Duncan pushed the Spurs lead to seven on a dunk with 3:49 left in the game but the Pacers went on a 7-1 run to get within one with 1:55 left in the game. San Antonio went back in front by three but Troy Murphy hit a triple to tie the score at 98-98 with 1:25 left in the game. The Spurs had a chance to grab a two point lead with six seconds left but Ginobili hit just one of two from the foul-line and gave the Pacers one more chance.
With one last opportunity Jamaal Tinsley took an inbound pass above the three-point line and drove the lane. A floated over the outstretched arm of Tim Duncan found the bottom of the bucket and the Pacers had the victory.
The Spurs shot themselves in the foot by hitting just 22-33 from the foul-line and hit 29 percent from beyond the three-point line.
