San Antonio Goes Smaller and Wins Big

Tim Duncan scored 22 points and keyed a crucial third-quarter rally Monday night as the San Antonio Spurs defeated the visiting Phoenix Suns, 100-88, to take a 2-1 lead in their best-of-five playoff series.

Duncan teamed with David Robinson in the third-quarter scoring binge as the Spurs grabbed a double-digit lead by outscoring the Suns, 27-15, in the period. At one point, the two 7-footers took turns dunking off passes from the other.

San Antonio held a 71-59 advantage entering the final period after the score was tied at halftime.

The Spurs, trying to match up better with the smaller Phoenix players, abandoned their “Triple Towers” lineup and started 6-foot-4 shooting guard Vinny Del Negro in place of 7-foot center Will Perdue.

Antonio McDyess led the Suns with 26 points and 17 rebounds.

Cleveland 86, Indiana 77--In a determined performance that kept Larry Bird from sweeping his first playoff series as a coach, Shawn Kemp scored 31 points as the Cavaliers got their first home playoff victory in five years.

“I just felt in my heart that Shawn did not want to see this thing end tonight,” said Cavalier Coach Mike Fratello, whose team trails, 2-1, in the series. “I think he was determined to do everything possible not to let this series end.”

Asserting himself so ferociously that even courtside fans were pointing and screaming, “Give it to him,” Kemp sealed the victory with a 16-foot jumper that made it 84-77 with 29 seconds left.

“Their backs are still against the wall,” said Indiana’s Mark Jackson, who surpassed his own club playoff record with 17 assists. “We’re a veteran basketball team.”

Rik Smits led Indiana with 26 points on 11-for-17 shooting before fouling out with 86 seconds left.