Weather | Sports | Forums | Comics | Classifieds | Calendar | Movies

Kerr's experience is put to use

SPURS 93, NETS 83: The former Bull's key shots, steal help San Antonio retake series lead.

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - Steve Kerr faked a shot from the corner, took two dribbles to his right and converted a 15-footer on the run.

He celebrated by high-stepping backward downcourt.

"My strut, a little Thomas Hearns. It felt good," Kerr said, referring to the former boxing champion.

The seldom-used player with four championship rings came through in the clutch again for the Spurs, making two timely jumpers and a key steal late in the fourth quarter as San Antonio defeated the Nets 93-83 Friday night to take a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven NBA Finals.

Kerr is the only player on either roster to have played in a championship series that was tied at 2, in '97 with the Bulls.

"More than anything, I have the experience of playing for 15 years to not get too nervous. I've done this a lot," Kerr said. "I was really nervous my first time in the Finals in '96 (Kerr was with the Bulls for titles in '96, '97 and '98), and I did not shoot well. And I understand what's going on out there for a lot of the guys."

He didn't enter until early in the final quarter, but he displayed the poise of someone who has done this many times.

First came a 3-pointer with 3:03 left to put the Spurs ahead 83-76, then a steal from Kenyon Martin and a running 15-foot jumper that made it 87-78 with 1:42 left and led to the backward high-step.

"Steve was fantastic," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "He's the consummate pro. He comes on the court, he knows what we're doing. He's in shape, and he did a really fine job. Obviously he was a huge factor down the stretch."

It was the latest postseason chapter for Kerr, whose resume from this postseason includes a 4-for-4 performance from 3-point range in a 23-0 run the Spurs used to defeat the Mavericks in Game6 of the West final.

The next step is closing out the Nets, and the Spurs' chance comes at home Sunday night in Game6. Game 7, if necessary, is Wednesday in San Antonio.

Tim Duncan carried the Spurs for most of the game with 29 points, 17 rebounds and four blocks. Tony Parker and Malik Rose each had 14 points and Manu Ginobili 12.

Jason Kidd scored 29 for the Nets but only three in the fourth quarter, when the Nets were hurt by five of their 16 turnovers. Kidd had 12 points in the first quarter, none in the second, 14 in the third.

"I think I played a pretty good game if this happened to be my last game here," said Kidd, who will become a free agent this summer. "I gave everything I had."

Martin was ineffective playing with the flu, finishing with four points, five fouls and eight turnovers, four in the fourth quarter. Martin, who had been sick for three days, missed the team's morning shootaround.

Minutes after a bomb threat was made against Continental Airlines Arena, police found 10 cars on fire in a parking lot. It was not immediately clear if the fires and the bomb threat were connected, New Jersey state police spokesman Steve Jones said.

The arson unit investigated the blazes in Lot 12C of Giants Stadium, which was an overflow lot. The lot is hundreds of yards from the arena, separated by a four-lane road and accessible only by a long pedestrian tunnel.

Canine units investigated the threat, and nothing unusual was found. The threat was called in to the East Rutherford Police Department at 10:15p.m.

The cause of the fires was not known, and no explosion was reported, Jones said. The Meadowlands Fire Department extinguished the blazes.

CONN. 84, WASHINGTON 70: Shannon Johnson scored 24 and had six assists to lead the host Sun.

ROCKETS: Three-time scoring champion Cynthia Cooper had surgery to repair a torn rotator cuff on her right shoulder. Cooper, who came out of a one-year retirement, is out for the season.