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Spurs earn 72-65 victory over Blazers
07:00 AM PDT on Monday, April 7, 2008
PORTLAND, Ore. -- Tim Duncan had 27 points and 11 rebounds and San Antonio beat Portland 72-65 on Sunday, extending the Spurs' winning streak over the Trail Blazers to 12 straight games.
Manu Ginobili's dunk with 1:31 left all but sealed it for the Spurs, who handed the Blazers their fifth consecutive loss. Ginobili finished with 10 points and six assists.
The Spurs were coming off a 90-64 loss at Utah on Friday that snapped an eight-game winning streak. But they clinched a playoff spot on Saturday when the Sacramento Kings beat the Denver Nuggets 118-115.
San Antonio's Tony Parker hit consecutive baskets, a running jumper and a jumper from the top of the key, to make it 70-60 with 3:37 left in the game.
All-Star guard Brandon Roy, who returned after a four-game absence because of a groin injury, led the Blazers with 18 points. Travis Outlaw added 14 and LaMarcus Aldridge had 12 points and 11 rebounds.
Portland, eliminated from playoff contention last week, was coming off a 95-86 loss to Houston on Thursday.
The Blazers were without starter Martell Webster, who suited up for Thursday night's game but experienced dizziness and flu-like symptoms and was taken to a hospital. Webster spent the night when doctors found an irregular heartbeat and he was not at Sunday's game.
The Blazers also lost center Joel Przybilla, who broke a bone in his right hand during the second quarter Sunday night and will miss the final five games of the season.
Przybilla was trying to block a shot when his hand hit the rim hard. The 7-foot-1 starter was averaging 4.8 points and 8.4 rebounds a game. Since the All-Star break, he had been averaging 11.4 rebounds.
Both teams got off to a sluggish start. The Blazers made just five of 22 field goals (22.7 percent) in the first quarter. The Spurs were just 6-of-17 (35.5 percent), and held a 17-13 lead.
San Antonio went up 24-15 in the second quarter on Kurt Thomas' turnaround jumper, but Outlaw and Jarrett Jack hit consecutive jumpers for the Blazers to narrow it to 24-19.
Michael Finley hit a 3-pointer for the Spurs before Roy scored for the first time in the game on a fast break. Roy would have nine points by the half.
San Antonio held a slim 39-34 lead at the break, then opened the second half with a 9-0 run to go up 45-34.
Roy helped the Blazers narrow it to 54-50 with a step-back jumper with 2:48 left in the third quarter. San Antonio didn't let the Blazers get closer.
Notes: Webster was expected to be examined by the Blazers' cardiologist early this week. ... Greg Oden, the top draft pick in last year's draft who is sitting out his first season after knee surgery, was back on the Blazers bench after missing the last game with a cold. Oden has been at most of Portland's games this season, and gone on road trips. ... The Blazers are 1-7 this season without Roy.
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