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Spurs edge Rockets in OT

Jan 12, 2012 - 5:55 AM San Antonio, TX (Sports Network) - Richard Jefferson's three-pointer with over a minute left in overtime lifted the San Antonio Spurs to a 101-95 victory over the Houston Rockets.

Jefferson ended with a trio of three-pointers in the game for a total of nine points for the Spurs, who improved to 7-0 at home for the first time since the 2007-08 season.

Tony Parker added 28 points, eight assists and five rebounds for San Antonio, which snapped a two-game skid. Tim Duncan donated 17 points, 11 boards, five assists and three steals.

"I'm happy with that one. It was a tough one," Parker said. "Houston is a very physical team and they played great tonight. Everybody had to play great and it was a great win for us. We needed it."

Kyle Lowry ended with 22 points, seven assists and six rebounds for the Rockets, who have lost five of six to fall to 3-7 on the young season. Luis Scola and Kevin Martin added 20 and 18 points, respectively.

Trailing by three, 83-80, with 4:41 left in the fourth quarter, the Spurs went on an 8-0 run. Parker bookended the spurt with a layup and jumper to make it 88-83 with 1:22 remaining.

The margin was the same following two Scola free throws and a Parker layup, but Lowry's three-pointer got the Rockets within two, 90-88, with 53.9 seconds to go.

After Parker missed a jumper, Duncan blocked Lowry and Danny Green pulled down a key defensive rebound as he was falling out of bounds. His attempted pass back into play was picked off by Scola, who called a timeout with 9.3 ticks left.

Scola then tied the game on a layup with 5.8 seconds to play. Green's runner from the lane was off the mark as time expired in regulation.

Down by one, 92-91, late in overtime, Jefferson made a three-pointer to give the home team the lead with 1:09 left.

Martin's running bank shot was off the mark at the other end, leading to Duncan's layup with 35.8 seconds remaining.

A Lowry three-pointer cut the gap to one, but Parker made two free throws with 22 ticks left on the clock.

Chandler Parsons and Lowry missed shots for Houston, and Kawhi Leonard's free throw with 11.3 seconds left made it a four-point contest.

"They're a great defensive team, we just missed some shots," Lowry said.

The Rockets took a 50-47 lead into the locker room following a tight first half.

The Spurs outscored Houston by a 25-18 margin in the third frame to go in front, 72-68, but the Rockets used a 7-0 spurt early in the fourth to take a one-point lead, 75-74.

Game Notes

Houston has dropped four straight and 24 of the past 28 trips to the Alamo City...San Antonio started a three-game homestand on Wednesday...The Spurs were without guard T.J. Ford (hamstring)...Rockets guard Courtney Lee missed the game with a calf injury...Leonard had 11 points and eight rebounds...With a made free throw at the 4:54 mark of the fourth quarter, Duncan passed Larry Bird on the NBA's all-time scoring list to move into 27th place.