Spurs leave no doubt in forcing a Game 7

SAN ANTONIO -- Now the San Antonio Spurs have to win one on the road to keep their title defense alive.

Manu Ginobili scored 25 points, Tim Duncan had 20 points and 15 rebounds, and Tony Parker added 15 points in the Spurs’ 99-80 victory over the New Orleans Hornets in Game 6 on Thursday night.

It forced a seventh game in the Western Conference semifinals Monday at New Orleans in a series in which the home team has won every game.

“I have confidence,” Parker said. “We’ve won a lot of big games on the road.”

Chris Paul led the Hornets with 21 points, but David West had only 10 before leaving early in the fourth quarter after aggravating a back injury.

Despite the closeness of the series, Game 6, like the five before it, was won with a big third quarter and by double digits.

The Spurs went ahead for good with 4:27 left in the first quarter and led by as many as 24 points in the second half.

“Thank God we get to go back to New Orleans for Game 7,” Paul said.