Spurs Take Game 1

Tim Duncan scored 40 points and added 14 assists, with teammate Manu Ginobili scoring the deciding shot in double overtime in San Antonio's 117-115 home win over the Phoenix Suns.

The Spurs, defending NBA champions, take a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven series, a rematch of a heated battle in last year's postseason. The next game will be Tuesday night in San Antonio.

Ginobili scored eight of his 24 points in the second overtime period. Tony Parker had 26 points for the Spurs, while Michael

Finley hit a pair of clutch three-pointers near the end of regulation to help the Spurs force overtime.

San Antonio trailed most of the game, by as many as 16 points, taking its first lead with just under two minutes left in the fourth quarter.

Victoria native Steve Nash had 25 assists and 13 assist for the Suns.

Nash made a three-pointer from the corner to tie the game at 115, but Ginobili drove through the Phoenix lane for the winning shot with under two seconds left.

Amare Stoudemire was a force for Phoenix with 33 points. In his playoff debut with the Suns, Shaquille O'Neal helped create room for Stoudemire and contributed 11 points, five rebounds and four blocks.

"We had a lot of opportunities to win," O'Neal said. "You can't make mistakes against a team like that especially here in this building."

While the Spurs briefly held the lead late in the fourth, they were down 93-90 with 1:10 to go after Leandro Barbosa's fast-break layup.

Finley hit his three-pointer with 15 seconds left to force overtime.

Nash scored seven points to begin the first overtime for the Suns, but Duncan helped San Antonio claw back, with Stoudemire taking a crucial offensive foul for charging.

Duncan drained a three-pointer, his first of the playoffs, with three seconds left to send the game into a second extra period.

"I didn't know what was going to happen, honestly," Duncan said. "Manu turned the corner, Shaq just totally leaves me and stayed with Manu."

With the Spurs leading by two with just over a minute left in double overtime, Nash missed a three-pointer and Boris Diaw couldn't convert a layup on successive possessions.

Nash hit for three on Phoenix's last gasp, but Ginobili soon responded.

Last year's series between the clubs was a pitched battle. After San Antonio's Robert Horry fouled Nash hard in Game 4, a melee led to suspensions for Stoudemire and Boris Diaw. San Antonio wrapped up the series in six games.

The Spurs won four championships between 1999 and 2007, but have never won in successive seasons.