NBA: Spurs' 'Big Three' too much for Lakers

The veteran trio of Tony Parker, Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili were just too much for the Kobe Bryant-less Los Angeles Lakers, as the San Antonio Spurs took game one of their best-of-seven playoffs series, 91-79, Sunday (Monday, PHL time) at the AT&T Center in San Antonio, Texas. The Lakers knew they were in for an up-hill battle without scoring machine Kobe Bryant, who suffered a season-ending Achilles tendon rupture prior to the playoffs, but they'd lead here just once, on a step-back jumper by Steve Nash on the first possession of the game. Off an offensive carom by Kawhi Leonard, the Spurs would equalize on a Tim Duncan mid-range jumper, and then take the lead for good as Duncan followed that up with a closer shot. Six straight misses by the Lakers after their first score allowed San Antonio to push their advantage to 7-2, at the 8:37 mark. The Spurs led by as much as 12 in the first period, doubling up on the Lakers, 24-12, thanks to Matt Bonner's jumper, but a split at the line and a lay-up by Antawn Jamison made it a nine-point affair by the end of the first period, 24-15. An 8-0 Lakers blast made it a four-point game, 28-24, on a Pau Gasol-Dwight Howard alley-oop connection, 28-24, by the 7:12 mark of the second quarter. That was two of Howard's 12 big points, as he went 5-for-5 from the field and 2-for-2 from the foul line in a 10 and a half minute stretch, to keep LA within striking distance at the break, 45-37. LA got within four points anew in the third, 54-50, courtesy of a Pau Gasol jumper. Manu Ginobili took over by the quarter's end though, scattering San Antonio's last eight points of the third, to establish a 13-point Spurs lead, 70-57, with just 12 minutes to go. A 6-2 start by Gasol and Howard made it 72-64, 10:05 left in the game, but the Lakers offense suddenly dried up, producing just three charities over a span of four and a half minutes. A lay-up by Howard finally snapped their drought, but in response, Danny Green and Matt Bonner hit a pair of huge triples to make it 84-68, 4:05 left in the game. Steve Nash tried to engineer one last push with four straight, but Kawhi Leonard's and-one play gave San Antonio a big enough buffer, 87-72, 3:11 remaining, for them to close this one out. Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili scored 18 apiece, and combined for 11 assists and five steals. Tim Duncan added a vintage double-double of 17 points, 10 rebounds and three steals, while Matt Bonner came off the bench for 10 markers and five boards. Late playoffs addition Tracy McGrady was listed by the Spurs as inactive. Dwight Howard put up 20 points, 15 rebounds and two blocks in the loss, while Pau Gasol added 16 markers, 16 assists and six assists. The two however combined for 10 of their team's 18 turnovers. Steve Nash returned from injury to add 16 points. The Lakers bench though got a mere 10 markers, as only Jodie Meeks and Antawn Jamison scored. The Spurs killed the Lakers in transition, getting a 17-2 edge in fast break points. LA also turned the ball over 18 times, double the amount of miscues by San Antonio. Ironically, the Lakers' defense managed to hold the Spurs to just 37.6 percent shooting, but their offense produced just a mediocre 79 markers, as they simply did not have enough weapons to take advantage. - AMD, GMA News