Ginobili sparks Spurs past Magic
ORLANDO, Florida: Argentine guard Manu Ginobili came off the bench to score 28 points Tuesday, sparking the reigning NBA champion San Antonio Spurs past the injury-struck Orlando Magic 107-97.
Michael Finley added 24 points and Tim Duncan contributed 19 points and 15 rebounds for the Spurs, who improved to 48-23 to stay one game behind the Los Angeles Lakers and New Orleans for the best record in the Western Conference.
The Magic suffered two key injuries in the first quarter, losing starters Hedo Turkoglu to a sprained right wrist and Jameer Nelson with a bruised jaw.
Ginobili sank a 3-pointer 48 seconds into the fourth quarter to give the Spurs an 83-74 lead. The Magic trimmed the gap with an 11-4 run, but Finley and Bruce Bowen hit back-to-back 3-pointers to ignite an 11-3 Spurs spurt in reply.
San Antonio led 98-88 after that and Orlando never came closer than eight points from there to the finish.
Dwight Howard led the Magic with 24 points and 21 rebounds. Rashard Lewis also had 24 points for Orlando, which slid to 46-27 but remained third overall in the Eastern Conference.
In Indianapolis, David West had 35 points and 16 rebounds, and the New Orleans Hornets beat Indiana 114-106 on Tuesday in the Pacers' first game since CEO Donnie Walsh announced he was leaving the team at the end of the season.
Chris Paul had 31 points and 14 assists as the Hornets won their fourth straight to maintain the best record (48-21) in the Western Conference.
Danny Granger led Indiana with 26 points and nine rebounds against his hometown team, which had a four-game winning streak end.
In Dallas, Josh Howard took over a tight game midway through the third quarter, carrying Dallas in its first game since losing Dirk Nowitzki to injury in a 103-90 victory over the LA Clippers.
Dallas, which had lost three straight, led only 60-58 when Howard got rolling. Howard scored 20 of the Mavericks' next 26 points, putting them up by 16 early in the fourth quarter. He finished with 32 points, easily his most since Jason Kidd arrived.
Corey Maggette scored 21 points before fouling out for the Clippers, who lost their eighth straight.
At Chicago, Drew Gooden scored a season-high 31 points and matched a season best with 16 rebounds as Chicago held on in the fourth quarter to beat Atlanta 103-94.
The Bulls, one of several teams chasing the Hawks for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, led by 12 after three quarters before Atlanta rallied within two with just more than six minutes left.
Josh Childress scored 22, including eight in the final quarter, to lead Atlanta.
Agencies
(China Daily 03/27/2008 page24)
