NBA

Spurs push Nuggets to brink

DENVER - Tim Duncan is back, Manu Ginobili is still going and the Denver Nuggets are all but done.

Duncan had his best game of the series, Ginobili provided the spark off the bench for the third straight game and Tony Parker scored 11 of his 29 points in overtime. That helped the Spurs move within a game of clinching the series with a 126-115 victory over the Denver Nuggets on Monday night.

Duncan shook off foul trouble and poor shooting - 5-of-19 - in Game 3, scoring 39 and grabbing 14 rebounds. Ginobili shot just 5-of-13, but went 12-of-16 on free throws to finish with 24 points and six assists. Parker finally had success getting into the lane against the Nuggets, hitting 11 of 19 shots and dishing out seven assists.

It all means the Spurs can close out the series in Game 5 Wednesday in San Antonio, where the Spurs have lost three times all season - but fell in the series opener to Denver.

Earl Boykins found his shooting touch after three tough games, scoring 32 points, and Carmelo Anthony finally got his stroke against the Spurs with 28. It still wasn't enough for the Nuggets, who need to win three straight to keep from bowing out in the first round for the second straight year.

MAVERICKS 103, ROCKETS 100: Keeping alive rebounds, diving for loose balls and making clutch shot after clutch shot, Dirk Nowitzki and host Dallas held off a late charge and went up 3-2 in a series they trailed 0-2 after their last game in Dallas.

After overcoming fourth-quarter deficits of eight and six points to win the last two games, the Mavs led by 11 just seconds into the final period this time. But Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming rallied the Rockets, combining for their last 13 points and getting them within two with 7.4 seconds left.

Game 6 is Thursday in Houston, and Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy may have trouble ahead. He was fined $100,000 for accusing officials of targeting Yao and refusing to tell the league which official was his source.

Commissioner David Stern called the fine "an intermediary step" and said an investigation will continue - once the Rockets finish their playoff run. Stern even implied that Van Gundy could face a lifetime ban.

Who said Washington doesn't have a defense?

The host Wizards wouldn't let the Bulls near the rim in the opening minutes, rattling their opponents in a win that evened their first-round playoff series at two games apiece.

Juan Dixon scored a career-high 35, popping endless jumpers to help build the lead early and stave off the comeback threat until late.

Game 5 is Wednesday night in Chicago.

Kirk Hinrich and Jannero Pargo scored 18 each to lead the Bulls, whose backups made the game somewhat interesting with a 13-0 fourth quarter run that cut the lead to 13 - then a 8-0 run that trimmed the lead to eight with 1:07 remaining. Pargo even got the deficit to six with a 3-pointer with 24 seconds left.

GRIZZLIES: Guard Jason Williams, angry over how he was quoted in a newspaper column, twice grabbed a pen out of a writer's hand Sunday night after his team's loss to Phoenix. Williams screamed in the ear of Geoff Calkins, a columnist for the Commercial Appeal , as the reporter tried talking to others in the locker room. Williams twice had to be pulled away.

NUGGETS: Forward Carmelo Anthony was fined $7,500 for shoving San Antonio guard Manu Ginobili during Game 3 of the first-round playoff series.

PISTONS: Pistons center Ben Wallace was named Defensive Player of the Year for the third time in four years.

[Last modified May 3, 2005, 02:30:04]