SAN ANTONIO (AP) -- Pau Gasol had two chances to make a big play in the final minute Sunday against the San Antonio Spurs. Tim Duncan didn't let him.Duncan blocked Gasol's shot with 56 seconds remaining and defended Gasol when he missed a potential game-tying layup with 5.9 seconds remaining, and the Spurs beat the Memphis Grizzlies 83-81.Duncan had 23 points and 12 rebounds to help the Spurs stay a game ahead of Dallas for the top spot in the Western Conference. San Antonio had lost two straight games -- both at home.The Spurs (59-18) trailed by seven points with less than 10 minutes remaining in the game."It's a huge win, knowing we lost two in a row and we're playing here at home," Duncan said. "Things kind of turned (in the fourth quarter). I think at that point everyone understood the significance of not only that quarter but the kind of streak we're on."The Grizzlies (44-33) remained in sixth place in the West. Memphis, led by Jake Tsakalidis' 15 points, had won three straight games.The Spurs rallied from a seven-point deficit with 9:29 remaining in the game and went ahead by five with 5:38 to go. Duncan scored six points and had four rebounds during that stretch.But Memphis scored seven of the next nine points and tied it when Mike Miller made it 81-all on a basket with 2:06 to go. Tony Parker, who scored 19 points, put San Antonio ahead 83-81 with 1:41 to go on a pull-up jumper.That's when Gasol had three chances to tie it.He missed a 17-foot jump shot that Nick Van Exel rebounded for the Spurs with 1:37 left. He tried a different strategy when the Grizzlies got the ball back on Duncan's pass that Eddie Jones stole."I wasn't trying to settle for a shot," Gasol said. "I wanted to get to the rim and get a win for my team. I just wanted to be aggressive."He swung around the right side of the lane and aimed a jump shot from 5 feet that Duncan blocked. Memphis got the rebound and couldn't convert on Chucky Atkins' outside jumper and a tip by Shane Battier.Parker missed a 20-footer and Battier rebounded and called a timeout with 26 seconds left.Gasol got the ball on the left side and drove into the lane. Duncan couldn't get the block, but he did enough to make Gasol miss. Brent Barry covered the loose ball and time ran out.Gasol had averaged 24 points in the previous three games this season against San Antonio."Especially in our games he's been getting to the rack a whole lot, getting some layups and dunks right at the rim," Duncan said. "I thought we limited that well tonight."Gasol went 5-of-19 from the floor and committed eight of Memphis' 12 turnovers. He missed all of his four shots in the final quarter.The Spurs swept the four games this season with the Grizzlies."This was a good lesson for us," Gasol said. "It lets us find out what's in store for us in the playoffs. Perhaps we have to step it up one notch."Memphis jumped out to a 22-13 lead 10:06 into the game when Gasol made a running hook shot from less than 5 feet away. Gasol went 3-of-4 from the floor to open the game.Spurs guard Manu Ginobili missed the game with left calf and left shin contusions. Barry started in his place and went 0-for-3, including two misses from 3-point territory.< ^NotesThe Spurs are fourth-best in the league in 3-point shooting at 38 percent, but they missed their first eight shots from behind the arc and finished 4-of-15. ... The Grizzlies wore warmups and the red, white and blue uniforms of the Memphis Pros, the city's franchise in the ABA from 1970-72 (before being known as the Tams from '72-74 and the Sounds from '74-75). http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/recap?gameId=260409024
