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<!--EZCODE BOLD START--><strong>By Johnny Ludden </strong><!--EZCODE BOLD END--> <br>
<!--EZCODE LINK START--><a href="http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/spurs/story.cfm?xla=saen&xlb=211&xlc=997297">San Antonio Express-News</a><!--EZCODE LINK END--> <br>
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Web Posted : 05/16/2003 12:00 AM <br>
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LOS ANGELES — This time, there would be no near-collapse. No blown lead. No heart-in-your-throat moment as Robert Horry hoisted a last-gasp 3-pointer. <br>
This time, the Spurs didn't walk out of the Staples Center with their season over.<br>
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No, on Thursday night, the Spurs simply rolled over the Los Angeles Lakers 110-82, ending the three-time defending champions' reign.<br>
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Led by Tim Duncan's 37 points and 16 rebounds, the Spurs advanced to the Western Conference finals to face the winner of the Dallas-Sacramento series. Dallas played Sacramento late Thursday with a chance to eliminate the Kings.<br>
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Bruce Bowen helped hold Kobe Bryant to 20 points, his lowest total of the six-game series. Shaquille O'Neal had 31 points and grabbed 10 rebounds for the Lakers, but he also had to spend time on the bench because of foul trouble.<br>
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When it was over, or at least obvious it was over, the crowd — at least those that hadn't already streamed out the exits — gave the Lakers a muted standing ovation.<br>
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Spurs coach Gregg Popovich believed Tuesday's victory, in which the Spurs nearly blew a 25-point lead, might have helped his young team.<br>
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"What happened in the last game was the best medicine I think we could get," Popovich said before the game. "It was better than anything I could tell them. Had we continued to win that game by 20, 25 points, I think there might have been the possibility they thought, 'Hey, we're pretty darn good and these guys can't play with us.' <br>
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"When we obviously won it by the skin of our teeth, it put the fear of God in them."<br>
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The Spurs' youngest contributor, 20-year-old Tony Parker, scored 27 points.<br>
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The Lakers had a difficult time trying to contain Duncan. After Los Angeles sent three defenders at him on the game's first possession, Duncan made his next seven shots for 15 first-quarter points. <br>
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Duncan and Parker, the Spurs' one-two punch in the regular season, combined for 32 of the team's 54 points in the first half. The Spurs led by nine points midway through the second quarter before settling for a 54-50 advantage at halftime. The Spurs shot 59 percent in the first half while the Lakers shot 57.9 percent.<br>
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After tightening in Tuesday's fourth quarter, the Spurs showed no fear in the final quarter. Duncan tossed in a runner on the first possession. When O'Neal blocked his shot, Duncan stayed with the ball and followed with a layup. Manu Ginobili stutter-stepped by Bryant for a layup and added a 3-pointer. Bowen made another. <br>
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Kevin Willis tipped in a missed free throw. When he dunked Parker's miss, Malik Rose started dancing on the sidelines.<br>
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jludden@express-news.net<br>
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05/16/2003 <br>
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