SAN ANTONIO — There was no third-quarter breakdown for the San Antonio Spurs on Thursday night, just the desperate play of a team whose quest for a second straight NBA title was on the line.
Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili scored 31 points each to lead the Spurs to a 110-99 victory over the New Orleans Hornets in Game 3 of the Western Conference semifinals.
With the win, the Spurs avoided falling into an 0-3 hole from which no NBA team has recovered.
Chris Paul led the Hornets, who still hold a 2-1 series lead, with 35 points and nine assists. David West had 23 points and 12 rebounds for New Orleans, which was dominant in the first two games of the series.
Game 4 is Sunday night in San Antonio.
After trading leads all game, the Spurs led 83-78 entering the fourth quarter.
Ginobili led a Spurs charge early in the final period. Left alone, he hit a wide-open 3 and was fouled by Bonzi Wells, who scrambled to guard the shot. Ginobili’s free throw put San Antonio up 87-82, and another 3 by Ginobili 38 seconds later made it 90-84.
New Orleans got within 90-88 before the Spurs took over, playing in the fourth quarter better than they have played all series.
The Spurs couldn’t stop Paul, but West missed three of four free throws and the Hornets got no closer than 10 points in the last half of the quarter.
