Spurs nip Suns in thriller

Tim Duncan saved the San Antonio Spurs with his first 3-pointer of the season at the end of overtime, and Manu Ginobili hit a layup at the end of the second extra period to send the defending champions past the Phoenix Suns 117-115 on Saturday in Game 1 of their first-round series at San Antonio.

The third-seeded Spurs celebrated almost as jubilantly as if they’d won the finals yet again after beating the sixth-seeded Suns, their postseason nemesis. The teams will meet again in San Antonio on Tuesday night before the best-of-7 series shifts to Arizona.

This first-round series, which would have been fitting as a Western Conference finals, was the most anticipated. So far at least, it has more than delivered.

Duncan finished with 40 points and 15 rebounds.

“I guess they’re not going to go easy,” Suns coach Mike D’Antoni said.

Michael Finley sent the Spurs to overtime with a last-second 3 from the wing, tying the game at 93.

The Suns had controlled play for the first three quarters, leading by as many as 16 points despite early foul trouble for Shaquille O’Neal. The Suns had a six-point lead with a quarter left in regulation.

The Spurs took their first lead of the game late in the fourth quarter, but were down 93-90 with 1:10 to go after Leandro Barbosa’s fast-break layup.

With 15 seconds on the clock, Finley tied it at 93 for the Spurs.

Two-time MVP Duncan stole the show in the first overtime. With his team down 104-101, Duncan found himself all alone at the 3-point line. After only a slight hesitation, he fired the ball and made it with 3 seconds to play. It was Duncan’s first 3 of the season. He was 0 for 4 previously.

“I didn’t know what was going to happen, honestly,” Duncan said. “Manu turned the corner, Shaq just totally leaves me and stayed with Manu.”

In the second overtime, Shaq’s dunk tied it at 112 with 1:33 to play. Ginobili’s layup made it 114-112 in favor of San Antonio.

Steve Nash missed a key 3 from the corner with less than a minute to play. After a long and risky inbounds pass that crossed the width of the court to the Spurs’ Brent Barry, the Suns fouled, and Barry sank 1 of 2 from the line to make it 115-112 Spurs.

With 15 seconds on the clock, the Suns went to sharpshooter Nash, who fired another 3 from the corner, sinking it this time to tie the game at 115.

Then Ginobili drove the lane against Raja Bell and got to the rim, as he often does, almost at will, and his layup fell with 1.8 seconds left for the win.

Hornets 104, Mavericks 92: At New Orleans, Chris Paul had 35 points and 10 assists in his first career playoff game, lifting the Hornets to a come-from-behind victory over Dallas in Game 1 of their first-round series.

David West, in his first playoff game since he was a rookie reserve, scored 23 points, and Tyson Chandler had 10 points and 15 rebounds to help New Orleans storm back from a 12-point halftime deficit and win going away.

Dirk Nowitzki had his way with New Orleans early and finished with 31 points, but scored only four during Dallas’ fourth-quarter collapse.

Josh Howard added 17 points for the Mavericks, a team that hasn’t missed the playoffs in eight seasons and was in the finals two years ago.

Jason Kidd, the All-Star point guard the Mavericks were hoping would be the missing piece to a championship run when they traded for him midseason, finished with 11 points and nine assists.

Jazz 93, Rockets 82: At Houston, Andrei Kirilenko scored 21 points, Carlos Boozer had 20 points and 16 rebounds and Utah beat the Rockets in the opener of its first-round series.

Deron Williams had 20 points and 10 assists as Utah, 17-24 on the road during the regular season, won its second straight playoff game in Houston. The last victory came in Game 7 last season, and that was when Houston got help from Yao Ming.

Yao is not around for this one. He’s out for the series with a foot injury and the Rockets have to wonder after Game 1 how they’re going to compete with the Jazz inside.

Utah’s reserves played well, outscoring Houston’s reserves 28-17.

Shane Battier scored 22 and Tracy McGrady had 20 points for Houston, which shot 37 percent.