Okur leads the Jazz past Rockets 82-74 (AP) Updated: 2005-12-28 13:58
Before McGrady departed, the Rockets were already missing Yao Ming, who's
been out since Dec. 18 with an infected toe. Guards Rafer Alston, Derek Anderson
and Jon Barry were also out again with leg injuries.
Dikembe Mutombo returned after missing two games with a lacerated right
middle finger, but had only one point and six rebounds.
Spurs outstrip the Pacers 99-86
SAN ANTONIO - Tony Parker scored 27 points, Manu Ginobili sparked the
decisive run in his return from an injury, and the San Antonio Spurs pulled away
to beat the Indiana Pacers 99-86 on Tuesday night.
The Pacers led 60-57 midway through the third quarter after a layup by Jamaal
Tinsley, before the Spurs took control with a 16-3 spurt.
Ginobili, who missed eight games with a sprained right foot, made a free
throw and a layup to start the run. The Spurs held Indiana without a basket for
more than 4 1/2 minutes beginning late in the third.
The Pacers trimmed San Antonio's lead to 76-71 on a short jumper by Jermaine
O'Neal, but Tim Duncan then banked in a 14-footer and swished a 16-footer, both
over Jeff Foster, and Nazr Mohammed made a basket to restore the lead to double
digits with 5 minutes remaining.
Duncan added 26 points for the Spurs. No other Spurs were in double figures.
Ginobili had nine points in 15 minutes.
O'Neal led Indiana with 26 points and Tinsley scored 20. Fred Jones added 14
and Stephen Jackson 13.
Ginobili entered the game to a long standing ovation with 4:36 left in the
first quarter and the Spurs down 18-15. He quickly found Parker for a layup and
then hit a 10-foot jumper while falling out of bounds to even the score at 20.
Parker and Duncan each had 11 points in the first, but the Pacers shot
12-for-19 (63 percent) as a team and led 29-27 after one.
After a 3-pointer by San Antonio's Nick Van Exel tied it at 38 midway through
the second, the Spurs went scoreless for more than 3 minutes.
Indiana built its lead to six points late in the period before Ginobili made
two free throws and Parker had a breakaway layup to cut the Pacers' lead to
48-46 at halftime.
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