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Rockets edge Spurs, 73-67
Tracy McGrady scored 28 points and came up with a handful of clutch plays in the Houston Rockets' 73-67 victory over the San Antonio Spurs on Saturday night.
McGrady sparked the Rockets' strong finish by converting a three-point play, making a couple of free throws and then finding Bob Sura all alone behind the arc for a 3-pointer that gave Houston a 64-57 lead with 2:49 to go.
He nailed a clinching 3-pointer of his own with 34.6 seconds left, putting Houston ahead 69-61. McGrady let his right hand linger in the air a little longer than usual and smiled as the crowd cheered.
Yao Ming added 13 points and Dikembe Mutombo came off the bench for 15 rebounds, helping the Rockets win a season-high fourth straight game and move three games above .500 (20-17) for the first time this season.
They also won consecutive games against San Antonio for the first time since 1997, but it was only their fourth victory in the past 25 games of this lopsided intrastate NBA rivalry.
Tony Parker led the Spurs with 21 points and six assists, while Tim Duncan had 18 points and 12 rebounds.
The Spurs were held to a season-low point total, going only 24-of-68 (35 percent) from the floor, including 2-of-16 (13 percent) from 3-point range.
San Antonio's offensive woes certainly weren't helped by the injury of guard Manu Ginobili, who left in the third quarter after bruising his right quadriceps and didn't return. He played only one minute after halftime, then was taken out. Ginobili finished with six points, three rebounds and three steals.
In the last meeting between these teams on Dec. 9, McGrady led the Rockets to the biggest last-minute comeback victory in franchise history by scoring 13 points in the final 35 seconds of the game.
McGrady didn't need that kind of furious finish to knock off the Spurs this time.
Both teams got off to their trademark slow start, combining for only 58 first-half points — Houston led 30-28 — in an unsightly offensive display that was the second-worst in the NBA this season. Detroit and Denver combined for 55 points on Nov. 28, tying a post shot-clock era league record set by the Rockets and Spurs on Dec. 11, 2003.
But McGrady eventually got it going, and he knocked down a 20-foot jumper while being fouled by Bruce Bowen to give the Rockets a 58-57 lead. He hit the free throw, and Houston never trailed again.
He then stole a pass by Duncan, and broke into the open court before being fouled by Brent Barry. The officials called a clear path foul, and Spurs coach Gregg Popovich drew a technical foul for protesting the call.
McGrady hit two free throws, stole another pass on the Spurs' next possession and zipped a pass to a wide-open Sura for the 3 that gave Houston a game-clinching seven-point lead.
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