Finley burns Dallas
Michael Finley looks a lot more comfortable in that San Antonio Spurs uniform than he did the first time he played against Dallas.
Finley scored 15 points, including three key free throws in the final 23 seconds, and the visiting Spurs held on to beat his former team 92-90 Thursday night and remain alone atop the Western Conference.
“The first game, I had a few butterflies,” said Finley, a two-time All-Star in 8 1/2 seasons with the Mavericks before being waived in August in a cost-saving move. “It was a lot more exciting to come back and play in Dallas.”
Making his first start for the Spurs with Manu Ginobili out because of a jammed right foot, Finley made his first shot and finished with one point more than Dirk Nowitzki, whose shooting woes continued. Plus, Finley made the free throws down the stretch.
Tony Parker scored a season-high 30 points and put the Spurs (12-3) ahead to stay when he drove for a layup with 35 seconds left. That was the last of 26 lead changes, seven of which came in the final 2:48.
It was also redemption for Parker’s turnover just seconds earlier, before Keith Van Horn’s bad pass gave the ball right back. Parker drove for his layup, then Finley was fouled rebounding a Dallas miss and made two free throws to make it 89-86.
“Finley had a great game,” coach Gregg Popovich said. “He was a lot more confident with the system.”
Finley badly missed his first shot against Dallas on Nov. 5, when he finished with only two points on 1-of-6 shooting in 27 minutes of the Spurs’ 103-84 loss.
“Starting helped me get out the jitters early and just go play,” Finley said. “Getting that first shot helped. … We just wanted to win because they are one of the better teams.”
Lakers 105, Jazz 101 (OT): At Salt Lake City, Kobe Bryant made two free throws after a disputed foul with 0.4 seconds left in regulation, and Sasha Vujacic made a 3-pointer with 20 seconds remaining in overtime to lead Los Angeles over Utah.
The Lakers blew a 14-point lead in the second half, then had to win without Bryant after he fouled out with more than 2 minutes left in overtime.
Bryant finished with 30 points and Vujacic scored 11 – hitting his clutch 3-pointer with the Lakers trailing 101-100. Lamar Odom added a free throw and a defensive rebound, one of 13 boards for Odom, and the Lakers held on for the victory.
Deron Williams led Utah with 20 points and seven assists and drew Bryant’s sixth foul in the overtime.
Around the league
The Denver Nuggets suspected guard Voshon Lenard for one game without pay for conduct detrimental to the team. … Los Angeles Clippers guard Shaun Livingston is expected to return in two weeks after being sidelined since training camp because of a stress reaction in his lower back.