GAME THREAD: NBA: SAN ANTONIO (14-4) at CLEVELAND (12-6)

NBA: SAN ANTONIO (14-4) at CLEVELAND (12-6)

<h3>Parker, Spurs look to continue sizzling play in Game Three</h3>

<div class="pre">San Antonio (58-24) at Cleveland (50-32) 9:00 pm EDT</div><div class="pre">NBA Finals Spurs lead, 2-0</div>

CLEVELAND (Ticker) -- Tony Parker and the San Antonio Spurs arehalfway to their ultimate goal.

Parker and the Spurs aim to increase their series lead when theyface the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game Three of the NBA Finals onTuesday.

San Antonio built a 27-point lead through three quarters thenheld off a spirited comeback by Cleveland to win, 103-92, totake a decisive 2-0 lead in the series.

With just two more victories, the Spurs, who won titles in 1999,2003 and 2005, would become just the fourth team in NBA historyto win four championships, joining the Boston Celtics (16), theLos Angeles Lakers (14), and the Chicago Bulls (six).

Much like his outstanding effort in the first game, Parker wasthe engine for San Antonio in Game Two. On Sunday, thesixth-year Frenchman scored a game-high 30 points on 13-of-20shooting, including 26 through three quarters when the Spursbuilt a huge 89-62 advantage entering the fourth.

Parker, who also had a game-high 27 points in Game One, isshooting 58 percent (25-of-43) in both games.

Future Hall of Famer Tim Duncan was his usual superlative self,tallying 23 points and eight rebounds while sixth-man star ManuGinobili scored 25, including 4-of-6 from 3-point range.

The big three combined for 78 points, the ninth time in theseplayoffs the trio has united to score at least 60 points. Itwas also the fourth game they have tallied 70 or more.

The mountain that Cleveland has to climb would be even steeper,if it had not shown signs of life in the fourth quarter of GameTwo. The Cavaliers outscored the Spurs, 30-14, in the period,reducing their deficit down to eight twice in the last fiveminutes before ultimately falling by 11.

Rookie Daniel Gibson scored nine points in the quarter and Jamesscored eight for Cleveland, which also trailed, 58-33, at thehalf, the third-largest halftime deficit in finals history.

The 22-year-old James finished with 25 points, seven reboundsand six assists, but also had a playoff-high six turnovers forthe second consecutive game.

The Cavaliers are shooting just 42 percent (63-of-151) for theseries and must know that only the 2006 Miami Heat, 1977Portland Trail Blazers and 1969 Boston Celtics are the onlyclubs in finals history to trail 2-0 before coming back to win aseries.

 

NBA: SAN ANTONIO at CLEVELAND

<div class="pre">FINALS

SAN ANTONIO VS CLEVELAND - INACTIVES

SAN ANTONIO CLEVELAND

PLAYER NAME REASON PLAYER NAME REASON
M ELY COACH'S DECISION L HUGHES LEG INJURY
J WHITE COACH'S DECISION I NEWBLE COACH'S DECISION
J BUTLER COACH'S DECISION DW JONES COACH'S DECISION</div>

 

NBA: SAN ANTONIO at CLEVELAND

<div class="pre">FINALS


SAN ANTONIO AT CLEVELAND - PROBABLE STARTING LINEUPS


SAN ANTONIO CLEVELAND

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

OFFICIALS: Bernie Fryer
Dan Crawford
Bob Delaney</div>

 

NBA: SAN ANTONIO at CLEVELAND

<div class="pre">FINALS

NBA FINALS
SAN ANTONIO 4
CLEVELAND 3 9:00 LEFT, 1ST QTR</div>

 

NBA: SAN ANTONIO at CLEVELAND

<div class="pre">FINALS

NBA FINALS
SAN ANTONIO 9
CLEVELAND 9 5:45 LEFT, 1ST QTR</div>

 

NBA: SAN ANTONIO at CLEVELAND

<div class="pre">FINALS

NBA FINALS
SAN ANTONIO 12
CLEVELAND 13 2:55 LEFT, 1ST QTR</div>

 

NBA: SAN ANTONIO at CLEVELAND

<div class="pre">FINALS

NBA FINALS
SAN ANTONIO 16
CLEVELAND 18 END, 1ST QTR</div>

 

NBA: SAN ANTONIO at CLEVELAND

<div class="pre">FINALS

NBA END 1ST QTR 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL
--- --- --- --- -----
SAN ANTONIO 16 16
CLEVELAND 18 18 END 1ST QTR

HIGH SCORERS AFTER 1ST QUARTER

SAS - TIM DUNCAN 8, BRUCE BOWEN 6, JACQUE
VAUGHN 2
CLE - ALEKSANDAR PAVLOVIC 5, ANDERSON VAREJAO
4, LEBRON JAMES 4</div>

 

NBA: SAN ANTONIO at CLEVELAND

<div class="pre">FINALS

NBA FINALS
SAN ANTONIO 19
CLEVELAND 26 8:40 LEFT, 2ND QTR</div>

 

NBA: SAN ANTONIO at CLEVELAND

<div class="pre">FINALS

NBA FINALS
SAN ANTONIO 25
CLEVELAND 30 6:00 LEFT, 2ND QTR</div>

 

NBA: SAN ANTONIO at CLEVELAND

<div class="pre">FINALS

NBA FINALS
SAN ANTONIO 30
CLEVELAND 38 2:50 LEFT, 2ND QTR</div>

 

NBA: SAN ANTONIO at CLEVELAND

<div class="pre">FINALS

NBA FINALS
SAN ANTONIO 40
CLEVELAND 38 HALFTIME</div>

 

NBA: SAN ANTONIO at CLEVELAND

<div class="pre">FINALS

NBA HALFTIME 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL
--- --- --- --- -----
SAN ANTONIO 16 24 40
CLEVELAND 18 20 38 HALFTIME

HIGH SCORERS AT HALFTIME</div>

 

NBA: SAN ANTONIO at CLEVELAND

<div class="pre">FINALS

NBA HALFTIME 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL
--- --- --- --- -----
SAN ANTONIO 16 24 40
CLEVELAND 18 20 38 HALFTIME

HIGH SCORERS AT HALFTIME

SAS - BRUCE BOWEN 9, TIM DUNCAN 8, TONY PARKER
8
CLE - LEBRON JAMES 9, ZYDRUNAS ILGAUSKAS 8,
ALEKSANDAR PAVLOVIC 7</div>

 

NBA: SAN ANTONIO at CLEVELAND

<div class="pre">FINALS

NBA FINALS
SAN ANTONIO 44
CLEVELAND 40 8:55 LEFT, 3RD QTR</div>

 

NBA: SAN ANTONIO at CLEVELAND

<div class="pre">FINALS

NBA FINALS
SAN ANTONIO 46
CLEVELAND 44 5:45 LEFT, 3RD QTR</div>

 

NBA: SAN ANTONIO at CLEVELAND

<div class="pre">FINALS

NBA FINALS
SAN ANTONIO 48
CLEVELAND 48 3:00 LEFT, 3RD QTR</div>

 

NBA: SAN ANTONIO at CLEVELAND

<div class="pre">FINALS

NBA FINALS
SAN ANTONIO 55
CLEVELAND 50 END, 3RD QTR</div>

 

NBA: SAN ANTONIO at CLEVELAND

<div class="pre">FINALS

NBA END 3RD QTR 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL
--- --- --- --- -----
SAN ANTONIO 16 24 15 55
CLEVELAND 18 20 12 50 END 3RD QTR

HIGH SCORERS AFTER 3RD QUARTER

SAS - BRUCE BOWEN 13, TONY PARKER 12, TIM
DUNCAN 8
CLE - LEBRON JAMES 13, ZYDRUNAS ILGAUSKAS 12,
DREW GOODEN 9</div>

 

NBA: SAN ANTONIO at CLEVELAND

<div class="pre">FINALS

NBA FINALS
SAN ANTONIO 60
CLEVELAND 53 8:53 LEFT, 4TH QTR</div>