Spurs 115 - 107 Rockets
Final
  for this game

Parker, Spurs hang on to beat Rockets

Mar 13, 2011 - 6:21 AM Houston, TX (Sports Network) - Tony Parker had 21 points to lead eight Spurs in double digits and San Antonio ended the game on an 8-0 run for a 115-107 victory over Houston.

Manu Ginobili added 19 points while Tim Duncan had just 11, but four of them came in the final 1:09 after the Rockets came back to tie the game.

The Spurs captured their third straight win and pushed their NBA-best record to 54-12. They kicked off a tough three-game road trip that also includes treks to Miami and Dallas.

"We were fortunate to get out of here with a win," said San Antonio head coach Gregg Popovich.

Kevin Martin scored 28 points to lead the Rockets, who were beginning a season-long six-game road trip. They fell to 7-3 in their last 10 games.

The Spurs led by as many as 13 in the first half, but this one was close down the stretch.

The Rockets got within a point when Kyle Lowry buried a three-pointer with 2:02 remaining. They later tied the game at 107-107 on a pair of Charles Hayes free throws with 1:24 left.

Then, Duncan picked the right time to wake up -- and Houston's Courtney Lee picked the wrong time to mess up.

Duncan knocked down a jumper -- only his third field goal of the game -- to make it 109-107. At the other end, Lee got an offensive rebound in the lane but chose not to kick it back out, missing a quick, ill-advised shot.

Lee collided with Duncan as the Spurs forward went up for an alley-oop, sending him to the line for a pair of free throws that made it a four-point game.

It wasn't a hard foul -- both players were going for the ball -- and Rockets coach Rick Adelman seemed to complain about it after the game.

"There was a basket here and a call there, but the Spurs are tough and they know how to win these games," said Adelman.

Still, the Rockets let the game slip away. After fouling Duncan, Lee missed a layup and Antonio McDyess hit two foul shots. Houston turned the ball over and Ginobili made two free throws to finish off an 8-0 run to end the game.

"We made the big stops and shots at the end," said Parker.

Game Notes

San Antonio led 36-25 after the first quarter and 59-49 at halftime, but trailed 82-81 heading into the fourth...George Hill and DeJuan Blair had 14 points apiece for the Spurs, McDyess scored 12 and Richard Jefferson and Gary Neal added 10 apiece...Houston will also welcome the Suns, Bobcats, Celtics, Jazz and Warriors on their homestand.






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