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Parker helps Spurs down Suns

Mar 8, 2009 - 11:32 PM SAN ANTONIO (Ticker) -- Tony Parker scored 30 points and added eight assists, leading the San Antonio Spurs to a 103-98 victory over the Phoenix Suns on Sunday.

"He's (Parker) been carrying us for a while now," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "He does a great job throughout the game. He's been special."

Tim Duncan chipped in 17 points and 15 rebounds for the Spurs, who continue to have the Suns' number.

San Antonio, which eliminated Phoenix from the postseason in each of the last two seasons, is 3-1 against the Suns this season.

"I thought Grant (Hill) did a great job on Tony Parker in the first half," Suns interim coach Alvin Gentry said. "He (Parker) gets real difficult to guard as the game goes on. He's always in attack mode and it gets real difficult to keep in the front of you for 38 to 40 minutes."

Steve Nash scored 23 points and added 11 assists for Phoenix (34-29), which has lost four straight and has fallen four games behind Dallas (38-25) for the eighth and final playoff spot in the West.

Parker stepped up with Duncan on the bench, scoring six points during an 11-0 run that gave the Spurs a 92-82 lead with 4:20 left.

Nash pulled the Suns to within 96-93 with 1:17 remaining, but Michael Finley hit a jumper and Parker's floater made it a seven-point game with 26 seconds left.

"He's the Tony that everybody watches on TV," Spurs swingman George Hill said. "An All-Star point guard and one of the best point guards in the league and to sit there and watch him I learn every time."

Finley finished with 11 points for San Antonio, which shot 50 percent (38-of-76).