Spurs Vanquished By Van Exel Lakers Guard Cans 3-Pointers To Hold Off San Antonio Clincher

The San Antonio Spurs had the Western Conference finals in sight until Nick Van Exel got in the way.

Van Exel took a pass from Vlade Divac after a scramble for a loose ball and hit a 3-pointer with 0.5 seconds left in overtime Tuesday night, giving the Los Angeles Lakers a 98-96 victory in Game 5 of the Western semifinals at San Antonio.

The Spurs still lead the best-ofseven series 3-2. Game 6 is Thursday at Los Angeles.

Van Exel also hit a 3-pointer at the end of regulation to tie the score at 88 after Los Angeles went more than 9 minutes without a field goal. The two 3-pointers were his only ones of the game after he missed his first five.

With the Spurs leading 96-95, the Lakers’ Elden Campbell missed a finger-roll with 4 seconds left. San Antonio’s Dennis Rodman, making his return after a one-game exile by coach Bob Hill, nearly had the rebound in his hands, but teammate David Robinson tipped the ball away.

Divac grabbed it, and with Lakers coach Del Harris trying to get a timeout, the Lakers center passed to Van Exel, who quickly fired off the high-arching game-winner on the run.

Sean Elliott missed a desperation shot at the buzzer for the Spurs.

Robinson led the Spurs with 34 points and 17 rebounds. Rodman, after a public feud with Hill, didn’t start, but finished with 11 points and 15 rebounds.

Lakers 98, Spurs 96 San Antonio

LOS ANGELES (98)

Ceballos 6-15 6-10 20, Campbell 5-14 7-10 17, Divac 3-8 2-4 8, Peeler 6-11 3-4 15, Van Exel 7-22 6-8 22, Lynch 1-2 0-0 2, Bowie 2-5 1-1 5, Jones 3-6 0-0 9. Totals 33-83 25-37 98.

SAN ANTONIO (96)

Elliott 8-18 5-7 22, Cummings 1-3 2-2 4, Robinson 9-22 15-17 34, Johnson 4-12 1-4 9, Del Negro 2-4 0-0 4, Reid 1-1 0-0 2, Rodman 5-9 1-1 11, Person 0-4 0-0 0, Rivers 4-9 0-0 10.Totals 34-82 24-31 96.

Los Ang. 29 26 21 12 10 - 98 San Ant. 24 25 20 19 8 - 96

3-Point goals-Los Angeles 7-20 (Jones 3-4, Ceballos 2-7, Van Exel 2-7, Divac 0-1, Peeler 0-1), San Antonio 4-15 (Rivers 2-4, Robinson 1-2, Elliott 1-7, Person 0-2). Fouled out-None. Rebounds-Los Angeles 58 (Divac 15), San Antonio 59 (Robinson 17). Assists-Los Angeles 19 (Van Exel 7), San Antonio 22 (Johnson 12). Total fouls-Los Angeles 21, San Antonio 31. Technicals-Reid, Divac, Rodman, Del Negro. A-35,888 (34,215).

Rockets 103, Suns 97 (OT)

Phoenix

Defending NBA champion Houston won its sixth consecutive playoff game in which a loss meant elimination, topping Phoenix in Game 5 of the Western Conference semifinals.

The Suns lead the best-of-seven series 3-2, with Game 6 Thursday at Houston.

Hakeem Olajuwon scored 31 points for the Rockets, including the final basket of regulation to tie it at 92.

Houston’s Robert Horry had a 3-pointer and rebound basket midway through OT for a 99-96 lead.

HOUSTON (103)

Chilcutt 0-2 0-0 0, Horry 4-12 0-1 11, Olajuwon 14-31 3-3 31, Drexler 0-6 4-8 4, Smith 7-16 2-2 21, Brown 6-11 3-3 15, Elie 5-16 5-5 15, Cassell 2-5 0-0 6. Totals 38-99 17-22 103.

PHOENIX (97)

Barkley 8-22 1-6 17, Green 2-9 7-12 11, Kleine 3-9 0-0 6, Johnson 10-17 8-11 28, Person 6-14 0-0 15, Majerle 3-8 2-3 10, Tisdale 0-2 0-0 0, Schayes 3-8 2-2 8, Perry 1-2 0-0 2, Ainge 0-2 0-0 0.Totals 36-93 20-34 97.

Houston 28 21 27 16 11 - 103 Phoenix 24 27 28 13 5 - 97

3-Point goals-Houston 10-32 (Smith 5-11, Horry 3-9, Cassell 2-3, Chilcutt 0-1, Drexler 0-1, Elie 0-7), Phoenix 5-22 (Person 3-9, Majerle 2-4, Johnson 0-1, Tisdale 0-1, Green 0-2, Ainge 0-2, Barkley 0-3). Fouled out-Brown. Rebounds- Houston 58 (Olajuwon 16), Phoenix 79 (Green, Barkley 20). Assists-Houston 23 (Smith 7), Phoenix 24 (Johnson 8). Total fouls-Houston 31, Phoenix 23. Technicals-Barkley, Phoenix delay of game, Houston illegal defense. A-19,023 (19,023).

Magic 103, Bulls 95

(Story, C1)

CHICAGO (95)

Kukoc 2-6 1-2 5, Pippen 4-13 1-6 10, Longley 3-6 1-2 7, Armstrong 6-16 5-6 18, Jordan 15-28 8-8 39, Perdue 0-1 2-2 2, Buechler 4-4 0-0 8, Harper 1-3 0-0 2, Kerr 0-1 0-0 0, Wennington 2-11 0-0 4, Blount 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 37-89 18-26 95.

ORLANDO (103)

Scott 7-18 3-4 22, Grant 10-13 4-4 24, O’Neal 7-20 9-19 23, Hardaway 8-17 2-2 19, Anderson 2-9 0-0 4, Rollins 0-0 0-0 0, Bowie 1-2 2-2 4, Royal 0-3 2-2 2, Turner 0-0 0-0 0, Shaw 2-2 0-4 5, Avent 0-0 0-0 0.Totals 37-84 22-37 103.

Chicago 29 21 20 25 - 95 Orlando 25 18 35 25 - 103

3-Point goals-Chicago 3-15 (Pippen 1-3, Armstrong 1-4, Jordan 1-4, Harper 0-1, Kerr 0-1, Kukoc 0-2), Orlando 7-18 (Scott 5-9. Shaw 1-1, Hardaway 1-3, Grant 0-1, Anderson 0-4). Fouled out-None. Rebounds-Chicago 57 (Pippen 11), Orlando 65 (O’Neal 22). Assists-Chicago 24 (Kukoc 6), Orlando 25 (Hardaway 11). Total fouls-Chicago 27, Orlando 18. Flagrant foul-Scott. A-16,010 (16,010).