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Spurs ahead of Nets in best-of-seven NBA finals series
New Jersey, June 11: San Antonio Spurs lead the New Jersey Nets 2-1 after an 84-79 victory in game three of their best-of-seven NBA finals series.
New Jersey, June 11: San Antonio Spurs lead the New Jersey Nets 2-1 after an 84-79 victory in game three of their best-of-seven NBA finals series.
Tony Parker scored 26 points on Sunday (June 8) to give the Spurs victory and their fifth away win in a row.
Tim Duncan also contributed 21 points and 16 rebounds to the San Antonio cause but it was Parker, a 21-year-old Frenchman, who showed the way for the Spurs.
In his second season, Parker became the youngest player ever to score 20 points in two games of the NBA finals.
"Tony is a special young man," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich told reporters. "To be thrown into this situation as young as he is, and to try and run the club, I think is special."
Parker's superb play might be giving the Spurs management second thoughts about their pursuit of New Jersey's Jason Kidd.
The Spurs have made no secret of their interest in Kidd, who will be this season's prize free agent and is rumored to be headed to San Antonio in a move that may push Parker out of a job.
The head-to-head battle between Parker and Kidd has been the major subplot of these finals.
"I try not to put too much pressure on myself," said Parker. "I think about my matchup with Jason Kidd but the main thing is the Spurs against the New Jersey Nets and just trying to run my team and be aggressive.
"I can't control what the Spurs are going to do this summer, if they are going to take Jason Kidd or if I'm going to play with them."
Parker's play was one of the few bright spots in a game that was far from a classic, both sides struggling from the opening tipoff to the final buzzer to find some flow.
The opening half was particularly ugly, the two teams combining for 63 total points, the fewest scored in the first half of any game in NBA finals history.
The Nets finished with 20 turnovers, only slightly worse than the Spurs (17). New Jersey's Kenyon Martin, who began the game wildly waving his arms to urge the capacity crowd of 19,280 to make noise, fed off the energy in the Continental Airlines Arena.
Martin dominated the opening quarter with a 10-point performance to help the Nets to a 21-15 advantage.
After struggling to keep Duncan in check through the first two games of the series, Martin also provided a frustrating presence on defense, holding him to seven points while hauling in three rebounds.
But in the second quarter the Nets cooled off dramatically, Martin adding just two more points to his total. Kidd also had trouble getting into gear, contributing only two points as San Antonio battled back to take a 33-30 lead into the intermission.
Kidd, who turned in a clutch 30-point effort in Game Two including New Jersey's last seven in an 87-85 win, was ice cold as he shot a dismal one-of-seven.
But the All-Star guard returned to the court with a vengeance, quickly draining two baskets as the Nets began the second half with a seven-point mini-run to edge in front 37-33.
Still the Nets were unable to wrestle control, the game refusing to develop any flow until midway through the final quarter when the Spurs, sparked by Parker, went on a 15-2 run to forge a 73-62 lead.
Fuelled by the support of the home crowd, the Nets trimmed the deficit to 77-75 but could get no closer.
Bureau Report
Parker's superb play might be giving the Spurs management second thoughts about their pursuit of New Jersey's Jason Kidd.
The Spurs have made no secret of their interest in Kidd, who will be this season's prize free agent and is rumored to be headed to San Antonio in a move that may push Parker out of a job.
The head-to-head battle between Parker and Kidd has been the major subplot of these finals.
"I try not to put too much pressure on myself," said Parker. "I think about my matchup with Jason Kidd but the main thing is the Spurs against the New Jersey Nets and just trying to run my team and be aggressive.
"I can't control what the Spurs are going to do this summer, if they are going to take Jason Kidd or if I'm going to play with them."
Parker's play was one of the few bright spots in a game that was far from a classic, both sides struggling from the opening tipoff to the final buzzer to find some flow.
The opening half was particularly ugly, the two teams combining for 63 total points, the fewest scored in the first half of any game in NBA finals history.
The Nets finished with 20 turnovers, only slightly worse than the Spurs (17). New Jersey's Kenyon Martin, who began the game wildly waving his arms to urge the capacity crowd of 19,280 to make noise, fed off the energy in the Continental Airlines Arena.
Martin dominated the opening quarter with a 10-point performance to help the Nets to a 21-15 advantage.
After struggling to keep Duncan in check through the first two games of the series, Martin also provided a frustrating presence on defense, holding him to seven points while hauling in three rebounds.
But in the second quarter the Nets cooled off dramatically, Martin adding just two more points to his total. Kidd also had trouble getting into gear, contributing only two points as San Antonio battled back to take a 33-30 lead into the intermission.
Kidd, who turned in a clutch 30-point effort in Game Two including New Jersey's last seven in an 87-85 win, was ice cold as he shot a dismal one-of-seven.
But the All-Star guard returned to the court with a vengeance, quickly draining two baskets as the Nets began the second half with a seven-point mini-run to edge in front 37-33.
Still the Nets were unable to wrestle control, the game refusing to develop any flow until midway through the final quarter when the Spurs, sparked by Parker, went on a 15-2 run to forge a 73-62 lead.
Fuelled by the support of the home crowd, the Nets trimmed the deficit to 77-75 but could get no closer.
Bureau Report