Duncan Brings Spurs Close But Can’t Reach High Note

Tim Duncan hit every big shot Tuesday night--except the last one.

Duncan missed a turnaround jumper from 15 feet out with two seconds to play, giving the Utah Jazz an 83-82 win over San Antonio in Game 1 of their Western Conference semifinal series.

Duncan scored 19 points of his 33 in the fourth quarter and the Spurs went with him for the last shot rather than veteran center David Robinson.

Robinson had 16 points and 16 rebounds but was held to two points and 0-for-7 shooting from the field in the fourth.

The Jazz ran the shot clock down before Karl Malone missed a jumper with 4.6 seconds left. San Antonio grabbed the rebound and called timeout.

The inbounds pass went directly to Duncan, who immediately turned and fired a jumper off the back rim. Utah rebounded and the clock expired.

“Tim was on such a roll we figured he’d get the last shot,” Malone said. “Greg Foster did an excellent defensive job by making him move a couple steps out.”

San Antonio had tied the game, 79-79, on Robinson’s free throw with 3:48 to play and took its first lead since the game’s opening minute on Johnson’s free throw one minute later.

Malone hit a sprawling jumper to give the Jazz an 83-82 lead with 1:12 left. On San Antonio’s next possession, Johnson drove the lane for an uncontested layup, but Robinson was called for an offensive foul for a pick he set on John Stockton. After Greg Foster and Chuck Person traded missed shots, Malone--who ended up with 25 points--missed his shot setting up Duncan’s game-ending attempt.

Duncan outscored the Jazz, 19-15, by himself in the fourth quarter. The Rookie of the Year also blocked four shots and grabbed 10 rebounds.

The Spurs, who hadn’t played in six days, trailed from the opening minute until Avery Johnson’s free throw gave them an 80-79 lead with 2:48 left. But Malone, who finished with 25 points, made two jumpers in the closing minutes.

Utah, which holds the home-court advantage throughout the playoffs, avoided starting its third straight playoff series with a loss. The Jazz lost the opening game of last year’s NBA Finals to Chicago and the first game of their first-round series with Houston.

Utah will be trying to take a 2-0 lead over the Spurs on Thursday night before the series moves to San Antonio for back-to-back games on Saturday afternoon and Sunday night.