Tony Parker scored 30 points as the San Antonio Spurs beat
Cleveland Cavaliers 103-92 at home on Sunday in the National
Basketball Association finals.
Manu Ginobili added 25 points and Tim Duncan contributed 23
points, nine rebounds and eight assists as the Spurs seized a 2-0
lead in the best-of-seven championship series, with Game 3 in
Cleveland on Tuesday.
The Spurs led 58-33 at half-time, pushed the margin as large
as89-60 with 12:50 to play.
LeBron James scored 25 points on 9-of-21 shooting and the
Cavaliers took advantage of the Spurs starters resting for a 27-6
run to pull within 95-87 on a James 3-point play with 4:53 to
go.
Ginobili hit a 3-pointer and added a free throw in the closing
seconds to give the Spurs a 101-89 lead.
Parker scored 16 points while Duncan added 15 and Ginobili 12 to
produce a 25-point half-time margin. The Spurs missed matching the
1985 Boston Celtics for the largest NBA Finals half-time lead of 30
points.
James went to the bench after committing two fouls in the first
2:55 and Cleveland never recovered.
The Cavaliers hit only 11-of-41 shots from the field in the
first half, 26.8 percent, while the Spurs hit 21-of-38, 55.3
percent.
The Spurs seek their fourth crown in nine years. The Cavaliers,
in their first NBA Finals, seek Cleveland's first major sports
title since 1964.
(Xinhua News Agency June 11, 2007)