GAME THREAD: NBA: CLEVELAND (12-5) at SAN ANTONIO (13-4)

NBA: CLEVELAND (12-5) at SAN ANTONIO (13-4)

<h3>Parker, Spurs aim to win Game Two vs. Cavaliers</h3>

<div class="pre">Cleveland (50-32) at San Antonio (58-24) 9:00 pm EDT</div><div class="pre">NBA Finals Game Two</div>

SAN ANTONIO (Ticker) -- Despite the outcome of last year's NBAFinals, Tony Parker and the San Antonio Spurs know that winningtheir first two home games can lead to ultimate victory.

Parker and the Spurs look to continue their homecourt advantagewhen they face the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game Two of the NBAFinals on Sunday.

San Antonio defeated Cleveland, 85-76, on Thursday for itsfourth victory in four tries in Game One Finals appearances.Parker was a catalyst, scoring a game-high 27 points whilehanding out seven assists.

The sixth-year Frenchman was ably assisted by nine-time All-StarTim Duncan, who posted 24 points, 13 rebounds and five blocksfor the Spurs, who have won three straight to up their record to13-4 in the playoffs.

San Antonio will pull out all the stops to win Game Two as well.Since the NBA adopted a 2-3-2 format for the finals in 1985,10 times the home team has won the first two games, and on nineof those occasions that club has gone on and won thechampionship.

However in 2006, the Dallas Mavericks won their first two atAmerican Airlines Arena, only to watch the underdog Miami Heatwin four straight on the strength of Dwyane Wade's outstandingperformance.

The Spurs hopefully won't let superstar LeBron James go on asimilar sort of run.

James had his second lowest scoring effort of these playoffswhen the three-time All-Star was held to 14 points on 4-of-16shooting. The 22-year old, who had only 10 points in Game Oneof the Eastern Conference Finals against the Detroit Pistons,tied his 2006-playoff high with six turnovers and was frustratedby the exploits of defender Bruce Bowen, who has finishedsecond in voting for Defensive Player of the Year the past threeseasons.

James could also use better support from teammates such as<div class="pre">Zydrunas Ilgauskas and guard Larry Hughes. Ilgauskas, a former</div>two-time All-Star, scored two points on 1-of-8 from the field.

Hughes, still clearly bothered by a foot injury, watched Parkergo by him numerous times, while he himself had just two points.The Cavaliers may have to make the adjustment and start rookieDaniel Gibson, who scored 16 points in 28 minutes off the bench.Gibson has scored in double digits in four straight games,including a season-high 31 in the Game Six clincher vs. Detroit.

There is a ray of hope for Cleveland. Since the current finalsformat began 22 years ago, the road team has split the first twogames 10 times and has gone on to win the title on threeoccasions, including the Pistons in 2004.

 

NBA: CLEVELAND at SAN ANTONIO

<div class="pre">FINALS

CLEVELAND VS SAN ANTONIO - INACTIVES

CLEVELAND SAN ANTONIO

PLAYER NAME REASON PLAYER NAME REASON
D WESLEY COACH'S DECISION M ELY COACH'S DECISION
DW JONES COACH'S DECISION J WHITE COACH'S DECISION
S BROWN COACH'S DECISION J BUTLER COACH'S DECISION</div>

 

NBA: CLEVELAND at SAN ANTONIO

<div class="pre">FINALS


CLEVELAND AT SAN ANTONIO - PROBABLE STARTING LINEUPS


CLEVELAND SAN ANTONIO

F Drew Gooden F Bruce Bowen
F LeBron James F Tim Duncan
C Zydrunas Ilgauskas C Fabricio Oberto
G Larry Hughes G Tony Parker
G Aleksandar Pavlovic G Michael Finley

OFFICIALS: Dick Bavetta
Jim Clark
Joe Derosa</div>

 

NBA: CLEVELAND at SAN ANTONIO

<div class="pre">FINALS

NBA FINALS
CLEVELAND 4
SAN ANTONIO 9 8:53 LEFT, 1ST QTR</div>

 

NBA: CLEVELAND at SAN ANTONIO

<div class="pre">FINALS

NBA FINALS
CLEVELAND 10
SAN ANTONIO 16 5:31 LEFT, 1ST QTR</div>

 

NBA: CLEVELAND at SAN ANTONIO

<div class="pre">FINALS

NBA FINALS
CLEVELAND 13
SAN ANTONIO 18 2:52 LEFT, 1ST QTR</div>

 

NBA: CLEVELAND at SAN ANTONIO

<div class="pre">FINALS

NBA FINALS
CLEVELAND 17
SAN ANTONIO 28 END, 1ST QTR</div>

 

NBA: CLEVELAND at SAN ANTONIO

<div class="pre">FINALS

NBA END 1ST QTR 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL
--- --- --- --- -----
CLEVELAND 17 17
SAN ANTONIO 28 28 END 1ST QTR

HIGH SCORERS AFTER 1ST QUARTER

CLE - ZYDRUNAS ILGAUSKAS 5, DREW GOODEN 4,
DANIEL GIBSON 3
SAS - TONY PARKER 7, TIM DUNCAN 5, FRANCISCO
ELSON 4</div>

 

NBA: CLEVELAND at SAN ANTONIO

<div class="pre">FINALS

NBA FINALS
CLEVELAND 19
SAN ANTONIO 37 8:58 LEFT, 2ND QTR</div>

 

NBA: CLEVELAND at SAN ANTONIO

<div class="pre">FINALS

NBA FINALS
CLEVELAND 26
SAN ANTONIO 43 5:47 LEFT, 2ND QTR</div>

 

NBA: CLEVELAND at SAN ANTONIO

<div class="pre">FINALS

NBA FINALS
CLEVELAND 27
SAN ANTONIO 51 3:00 LEFT, 2ND QTR</div>

 

NBA: CLEVELAND at SAN ANTONIO

<div class="pre">FINALS

NBA FINALS
CLEVELAND 33
SAN ANTONIO 58 HALFTIME</div>

 

NBA: CLEVELAND at SAN ANTONIO

<div class="pre">FINALS

NBA HALFTIME 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL
--- --- --- --- -----
CLEVELAND 17 16 33
SAN ANTONIO 28 30 58 HALFTIME

HIGH SCORERS AT HALFTIME

CLE - LEBRON JAMES 13, DANIEL GIBSON 6,
ZYDRUNAS ILGAUSKAS 5
SAS - TONY PARKER 16, TIM DUNCAN 15, MANU
GINOBILI 12</div>

 

NBA: CLEVELAND at SAN ANTONIO

<div class="pre">FINALS

NBA FINALS
CLEVELAND 40
SAN ANTONIO 63 8:55 LEFT, 3RD QTR</div>

 

NBA: CLEVELAND at SAN ANTONIO

<div class="pre">FINALS

NBA FINALS
CLEVELAND 46
SAN ANTONIO 71 6:00 LEFT, 3RD QTR</div>

 

NBA: CLEVELAND at SAN ANTONIO

<div class="pre">FINALS

NBA FINALS
CLEVELAND 56
SAN ANTONIO 80 3:00 LEFT, 3RD QTR</div>

 

NBA: CLEVELAND at SAN ANTONIO

<div class="pre">FINALS

NBA FINALS
CLEVELAND 62
SAN ANTONIO 89 END, 3RD QTR</div>

 

NBA: CLEVELAND at SAN ANTONIO

<div class="pre">FINALS

NBA END 3RD QTR 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL
--- --- --- --- -----
CLEVELAND 17 16 29 62
SAN ANTONIO 28 30 31 89 END 3RD QTR

HIGH SCORERS AFTER 3RD QUARTER

CLE - LEBRON JAMES 17, DREW GOODEN 13,
ALEKSANDAR PAVLOVIC 10
SAS - TONY PARKER 26, TIM DUNCAN 21, MANU
GINOBILI 21</div>

 

NBA: CLEVELAND at SAN ANTONIO

<div class="pre">FINALS

NBA FINALS
CLEVELAND 72
SAN ANTONIO 91 8:55 LEFT, 4TH QTR</div>