USA - Duncan, Ginobili turn on style as Spurs down Jazz

SAN ANTONIO (NBA) - Tim Duncan poured in 27 points and corralled 10 rebounds and Argentina's Manu Ginobili scored 23 as the San Antonio Spurs eased past the Utah Jazz, 108-100, in Game One of the Western Conference finals.

French international Tony Parker contributed 21 points for San Antonio, who had just one day of rest coming off its emotional six-game victory over the second-seeded Phoenix Suns.

The Spurs opened a 19-point first-half lead and held off a belated comeback by the Jazz, who had been idle since closing out Golden State in five games on Tuesday.

"You can say it was jitters. You can say they had extra days off, maybe a little bit of rust," Duncan said. "But they played better in the second half and we didn't. We played good enough, though, by the way."

The emotional letdown appeared to be a reality when the Jazz bolted to a 7-0 lead, but from then on it was all Spurs.

San Antonio shot 66% (21 of 32) in charging to a 54-36 halftime lead. Duncan had 16 points and Ginobili 14 in the opening half.

"We were running all over the place, giving them layups," Jazz coach Jerry Sloan said.

"The layups killed us. That's what a great team does, they take advantage of mistakes, and they are as good as anybody you play against in that situation."

Deron Williams was magnificent for the Jazz, scoring 34 points and sparking a late rally as Utah finally got the deficit under double digits in the final four minutes.

Utah hit 10 straight baskets in the fourth quarter and cut the lead to 95-87 on Williams' dunk with 2:43 to play. Williams was unstoppable, scoring 11 points in less than four minutes and 18 verall in the quarter.

"I think the first game is when you are supposed to send a message," Williams said.  "And I don't think we did that, especially in the first half. I think we battled back in the second half and it showed a lot about us."

Michael Finley hit four free throws for San Antonio as the Jazz were unable to get closer than eight points until the final four minutes.

Sparked by Ginobili, who has decided not to play for Argentina this summer at the FIBA Americas Championship on the advice of the Spurs, and Duncan, San Antonio used an 11-2 run in the second quarter to take a 44-28 lead with 3:53 left in the half.

They outscored the Jazz, 32-16, in the quarter.

Every time Utah made a run in the third quarter, San Antonio had an answer. Finley made a pair of three-pointers and Parker had a steal and uncontested basket late to give the Spurs a 78-62 cushion headed into the final 12 minutes.

The main culprit for Utah was their dreadful shooting. The Jazz shot five of 21 for the first quarter and 12 of 41 (29%) in the first half.

Carlos Boozer finished with 20 points and 12 rebounds for Utah, who are facing San Antonio in the post-season for the first time since 1998 - the last time the Jazz reached the NBA Finals.

FIBA