Spurs 88, Lakers 78

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Shaquille O'Neal says his team got a good look at the San Antonio Spurs in Game 1 of their second-round playoff series. Next time the Lakers will be ready.

Los Angeles shot poorly in the first half Sunday, staged a bold rally in the third quarter, then collapsed in the fourth in an 88-78 loss to the defending champion Spurs.

”This game was a 'feel-out' game so we know how the series is going to go,” said O'Neal, who made only one basket and had no rebounds in the fourth quarter. ”We'll go back home and review some tapes, practice on a few things and we'll be ready.”

Game 2 of the Western Conference semifinal is Wednesday in San Antonio, with the Spurs going for their 17th straight win.

Tim Duncan scored 12 of his 30 points in the final period, including three straight jumpers in a late 10-0 run, to lead the Spurs' comeback.

Los Angeles, leading 65-62 after three periods, committed 10 turnovers and scored only 13 points in the fourth quarter. The Lakers were held without a field goal for a six-minute span, and San Antonio had seven steals in the quarter.

”We tried to force-feed Shaq, and they got four or five turnovers out of that that helped them get back into the game,” Lakers coach Phil Jackson said. ”By and large, we were victims of our own inability to execute.”

Duncan drew double-teams almost every time he got the ball in the second half, causing him trouble both posting up and driving. After scoring 15 points in the first two periods, he had only one basket in the third.

He scored on a layup and a jumper in the opening minutes of the fourth quarter, then made his three straight jumpers in the decisive run.

”There's not a whole lot of secrets about what we do and what they do,” Duncan said. ”It's about going out there and imposing your will.”

San Antonio's 10-0 spurt ended with a breakaway dunk by Manu Ginobili off a pass from Duncan, putting the Spurs ahead 83-71.

San Antonio outscored the Lakers 17-3 on fast-break points in the game.

”That difference in fast-break points is what they want,” said Kobe Bryant, who had 31 points to go with 10 rebounds. ”That's the type of series they want to have, a transition series.”

Tony Parker added 20 points and nine assists, while Ginobili had 11 points.

In the only other game Sunday, New Orleans beat Miami 89-83 to force a seventh game Tuesday night in their Eastern Conference series. On Monday night, New Jersey is at Detroit in the opener of their East series. The next night, Sacramento plays Game 1 at Minnesota in the other Western Conference series.

The Spurs also held down Bryant in the fourth quarter, limiting him to six points on 2-for-6 shooting after he scored 12 in the third period to put the Lakers ahead. Bryant also got a technical foul in the quarter after he went nose to nose with Rasho Nesterovic.

After the Lakers fell behind 41-33 at the break, O'Neal and Bryant got their inside-outside game into a good rhythm. The Lakers opened the third quarter with a 13-4 run to take a lead that grew to seven points.

”Kobe got hot, so we just tried to hang in there and get the quarter over,” said Parker, who scored 13 of his points in the third period.

Both teams struggled to score in the game's opening minutes, together missing 14 of their first 20 shots.

A short jump hook by O'Neal with 4:59 to go in the first quarter gave the Lakers a 12-5 lead, but the Spurs finished the quarter with a 16-2 run.

Los Angeles trimmed the lead to 27-23 early in the second period on a driving layup by Derek Fisher, but the Lakers followed with another five-minute span without a field goal.

O'Neal missed 10 of his 13 free-throw attempts, while Duncan was only 4-for-11 at the line.

Hornets 89, Heat 83

At New Orleans, Baron Davis had 15 points and 12 assists, while defensive specialists George Lynch and P.J. Brown each scored 16 points to help the Hornets force a seventh game in Miami.

Jamaal Magloire tied his series high with 14 points, and David Wesley added 10 as all five starters hit double figures. Dwyane Wade led Miami with 27 points.

The home team has won every game so far, and the Heat have a 15-game home winning streak. In NBA history, the home team is 70-15 in Game 7s.