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NBA Scores: Spurs’ Duncan, Finley Bury Nuggets, Take Series in Five
Tim Duncan scored 23 points and pulled down 12 rebounds, Michael Finley added 26 points and Tony Parker finished with 16 points and 10 assists as the San Antonio Spurs beat the Denver Nuggets 93-78 to close out their Western Conference first round playoff series 4-1.
The Nuggets closed the first half on a 10-0 run and took a 48-44 lead into the second half but hit just five field goals in the third quarter and put eleven points on the board as the Spurs regained the lead 63-59 at the end of the period.
Michael Finley hit three of his eight three-pointers in the fourth quarter as the Spurs began to pull away. Allen Iverson tried to bring the Nuggets back, scoring ten of team’s 19 in the fourth but it wasn’t enough.
San Antonio’s balanced attack and seemingly limitless options proved to be too much for the Nuggets to handle. While Duncan and Parker played their usual role, the Spurs had Robert Horry and Michael Finley step up in offensive roles and Fabricio Oberto and Manu Ginobili each had games where they provided a huge lift.
The Spurs will now face the Phoenix Suns in the second round of the Western Conference playoffs.
