San Antonio, TX (Sports Network) - Tim Duncan led the way for San Antonio with 30 points and 15 rebounds, and the Spurs continued their dominance over the Nets with a 94-91 victory at the AT&T Center.
The Spurs have won 12 consecutive regular-season games over the Nets. San Antonio has actually defeated the Nets 14 straight times, having taken Games 5 and 6 of the 2003 NBA Finals against New Jersey to close out that series. The Nets have not beaten the Spurs in regular-season play since a 91-82 triumph at the Meadowlands on November 13, 2002 and are 5-35 lifetime in San Antonio, including the postseason.
Tony Parker dropped 17 points and Roger Mason 14 for the Spurs, who have won four straight overall and posted a stellar 20-5 record since December 4. Michael Finley added 11 points in the win.
Devin Harris had a team-best 27 points for the Nets, who are in their longest losing streak of the season, at five games. Vince Carter added 26 points and six assists in defeat, while Brook Lopez ended with 15 points and eight boards.
Already up by two, Finley hit a pair from the foul line to give the Spurs an 85-81 lead with 3:49 remaining.
The Nets battled back and a jumper from Harris cut it to 87-86.
With 50 ticks left, Keyon Dooling missed a long jumper and Parker grabbed the rebound and eventually called a timeout with 34.6 seconds left.
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Following the stoppage, the Spurs inbounded the ball, worked it around before Manu Ginobili drove the baseline and kicked it out to a wide-open Finley on the right wing. His three dropped in and the home team assumed a 90-86 lead with 22.6 ticks showing on the clock.
Lopez missed a layup on the Nets' next possession and Mason hit a pair from the line. Carter, though, answered with a three to make it 92-89 with about nine seconds showing.
Two more at the line from Mason made it a five-point game, but Harris' jumper cut it to 94-91.
The Spurs then inbounded the ball and tried to run out the clock, but after a review it was ruled that Ginobili lost possession and the ball rolled out of bounds so .2 seconds were put back.
Carter took the inbounds pass, but failed to get off a shot before the final buzzer sounded.
The Spurs held a slight 26-24 lead after the first quarter, but the Nets grabbed a 50-44 advantage at the break.
Down by two late in the third, Kurt Thomas' tip-in set the tone for a 9-2 Spurs run that closed out the frame. Ginobili's three capped the San Antonio scoring and the Spurs were up 72-66 heading into the fourth frame.
Eduardo Najera's three and Harris' two free throws cut it to 74-73 with just under 10 minutes left.
The teams traded baskets and Carter went 2-for-2 from the charity stripe at the 6:01 mark to tie the game at 79.
