Ginobili's 3s spark Spurs over Lakers
(AP)
Updated: 2006-03-07 14:41

LOS ANGELES - Manu Ginobili hit four 3-pointers when the San Antonio Spurs took control early in the third quarter on the way to a 103-96 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Monday night.

San Antonio Spurs Manu Ginobili (L) drives past Los Angeles Lakers Kobe Bryant during second quarter NBA action in Los Angeles, March 6, 2006. [Reuters]

Ginobili had 21 points in the Spurs' well-balanced offense, as did Tony Parker and Michael Finley. Tim Duncan had 18 points, nine assists and seven rebounds to help the Spurs to their seventh consecutive victory.

Duncan left the game with 5:45 remaining after the Lakers' Smush Parker poked him in the eye while reaching for the ball.

The Spurs' win also was their seventh win in a row over the Lakers, their longest ever in the series.

Kobe Bryant scored 43 for the Lakers, and Lamar Odom had 13 points and seven rebounds. They were the only Lakers to score in double figures.

San Antonio trailed by two at halftime, but reeled of a 21-4 string in the first five minutes of the third quarter to open a 64-49 lead. Ginobili was good on all four of his shots from 3-point range, including three in a row during a 61-second span to build the 15-point pad.

The Spurs were up 79-64 heading into the fourth quarter and the Lakers closed within seven points in the closing moments of the game.

The Lakers opened a 36-28 lead on Odom's layup 3 1/2 minutes into the second quarter, but the Spurs came back to go ahead 39-38 on Nazr Mohammed's 11-foot jumper 4:15 before halftime. Bryant's layup at the buzzer gave Los Angeles a 45-43 halftime lead.

He had 16 first-half points on 8-of-13 shooting. Duncan topped the Spurs' scoring with 12 points.

Bryant scored 10 points on 5-of-7 shooting in the first quarter to help the Lakers take a 27-21 lead. Parker scored seven for San Antonio.