Spurs Beat Houston 88-81. Poor Yao Ming

[MavsFanFinley]

By T.A. BADGER, Associated Press Writer
March 12, 2006

SAN ANTONIO (AP) -- Tim Duncan scored 20 points, Michael Finley made a pair of 3-pointers in the fourth quarter, and the San Antonio Spurs held off a late rally to beat the Houston Rockets 88-81 on Sunday.

The Rockets played without star swingman Tracy McGrady, who could miss five weeks because of a sore back.

Trailing by 11 after three, Houston closed within 79-77 when Rafer Alston drove the baseline for a layup with 2:52 remaining.

But the Spurs' Nazr Mohammed set a screen on Rick Brunson that allowed Finley to drive the baseline for a dunk over Yao Ming.

A minute later, Manu Ginobili tangled Yao's feet with a crossover move before he threw down a left-handed dunk over the Rockets' center to make it 85-79.

Finley, who finished with 15 points, clinched the victory with a corner 3-pointer with 40 seconds left.

Ginobili scored 14 points, Mohammed had 11 and Beno Udrih 10 for San Antonio. Duncan grabbed 10 rebounds.

Yao had 25 points for the Rockets, 17 in the first half, and Alston scored 15. Luther Head added 13, including three 3-pointers, and Keith Bogans had 11.

The loss kept Houston winless in 10 games against Southwest Division rivals.

Yao hit three short jumpers while scoring nine of Houston's first 13 points as the Rockets took an early lead.

San Antonio came back to tie it at 19 with about 3 minutes left in the first quarter on a three-point play by Rasho Nesterovic.

Udrih made a 3-pointer at the buzzer to give San Antonio a 25-22 lead after one, but Yao made a 13-footer early in the second to put Houston back ahead.

A pair of 3-pointers by Head sparked the Rockets, who built their advantage to 39-34 late in the half. Yao scored 17 points in the half, while Duncan was held scoreless in the second on 0-for-5 shooting after scoring 10 in the first.

San Antonio erased a four-point halftime deficit by outscoring the Rockets 26-11 in the third. Bogans had nine of those points for Houston, which shot 5-for-17 in the quarter.

Bruce Bowen started the run for the Spurs with a 3-pointer, and Mohammed made three straight baskets. After a fast-break layup by Tony Parker, Udrih hit his second 3-pointer to make it 64-53 in the final minute of the third.

Notes

The Spurs have beaten Houston 17 straight times at home. ... The Rockets' David Wesley did not play in the second half because of a rib injury. ... San Antonio played its fourth straight without G Nick Van Exel (sore left elbow). ... The Rockets and Spurs play again Saturday and then in the season finale on April 19. Both of those games are in Houston.