NBA – Parker, Duncan lead Spurs in narrow win over Warriors

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SAN ANTONIO (NBA) - The San Antonio Spurs got double-doubles from France's Tony Parker and former Team USA star Tim Duncan in a 107-106 victory over the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday night.

The Spurs have been struggling of late without injured Argentina guard Manu Ginobili and Golden State almost snatched a win at the death.

Instead of taking a timeout with 5.5 seconds remaining after San Antonio’s Kurt Thomas missed two free throws, the Warriors rushed the ball up the floor.

Parker then made his most important contribution of the contest on defense, cutting in front of Monta Ellis at midcourt as the Warriors’ scoring machine looked for an opening to launch a potential game-winning shot.

A desperate Ellis put up a running jumper from 30 feet that wasn’t close to going in as the Warriors slumped to 25-46 on the campaign.

“He's the type of play who tries to make you use your body,” Parker said, “so I just wanted to make sure I stayed in front of him without fouling.”

Parker had 30 points and 10 assists while Duncan scored 21 and hauled in 10 rebounds.

San Antonio (46-24) had dropped to third place in the Western Conference after their weekend home setback to Houston but they are now back in second after the Rockets (47-26) slipped up against Utah on Tuesday.

Utah (44-26) got 19 points and 12 assists from their United States Olympic hero Deron Williams in a 99-86 victory over Houston.

Yao Ming of China scored 14 points and corralled 13 rebounds and Argentina's Luis Scola had 12 boards to go with his 10 points for the Rockets.

Shane Battier drilled four of seven shots from long range and led the Rockets with 18 points.

Kobe Bryant poured in 19 points, Lamar Odom 18 and Spain's Pau Gasol 14 as the Los Angeles Lakers (56-14) thrashed Oklahoma City 107-89.

Gasol also pulled down a game-high 14 rebounds for the runaway Western Conference leaders.

The Chicago Bulls, who could announce soon that Great Britain star Luol Deng's season is over because of a stress fracture in his tibia, moved two games clear of Charlotte in the race for the eighth and final play-off spot in the Eastern Conference.

The Bulls beat Detroit 99-91 with former Team USA guard Kirk Hinrich reminding everyone that he’s still in Chicago.

Hinrich, a member of the Americans' 2006 FIBA World Championship squad, started for Derrick Rose (wrist injury) and turned in a man-of-the-match performance by scoring 24 points and handing out eight assists.

The 28-year-old Hinrich started for the Bulls in his first five seasons and led them to three appearances in the play-offs.

After last year's disappointing campaign, he lost his starting job to Chicago's number one pick Rose.

Hinrich missed 30 games this season with a thumb injury.

If Chicago hit some good form at the end of the season, they could do even better than an eighth-place finish.

Detroit (34-36) are just one game ahead of the Bulls in seventh place.

Lithuania international Linas Kleiza, meanwhile, has been forced to dig into his pocket and pay a $25,000 fine for verbally abusing officials after Denver's 116-105 win over Denver on Friday.

The NBA did not reveal what Kleiza is alleged to have said, and the European basketball star declared: "I am appealing the fine, no question."

Kleiza's Denver teammate Nene, meanwhile, was thrown out of Monday's game against Phoenix.

The NBA is also reviewing that incident involving the Brazil national team center.

FIBA