Spurs putting dent in Lakers; Parker is spark

The best-of-7 series resumes in Los Angeles on Sunday.
SAN ANTONIO (AP) -- The first two playoff games between Los Angeles and San Antonio followed a consistent formula.
The Spurs take a first-half lead, and the Lakers chisel it down in the third quarter. But the Spurs hang on through the fourth period to win.
Tony Parker scored eight of his 30 points down the stretch in San Antonio's 95-85 victory Wednesday night.
Now Los Angeles returns home in an 0-2 hole against the defending NBA champs, winners of 17 straight games.
No comfort zone
"We're down but not out," said Karl Malone, who scored 15 points for the Lakers while also defending Tim Duncan. "We get to go home now, but there is no comfort zone. We have to come out with the same intensity that they have found."
Parker embodied that intensity, scoring 16 points in the first quarter to give the Spurs a big lead early on, then turning it up again late.
"I was in attack mode and just tried to get shots for me and my teammates," said Parker, who also had five assists. "I just want to keep winning. I just want to focus on beating the Lakers."
The best-of-7 matchup resumes in Los Angeles on Sunday.
The Lakers, led by Shaquille O'Neal's inside scoring, slashed a 16-point halftime deficit to 80-78 with more than six minutes remaining, and the momentum was clearly in their favor.
But Parker made a pair of free throws and a short floater over O'Neal after a stunning crossover move on Devean George. That rebuilt the lead to 88-80, and the Spurs' defense then made some timely stops.
"Our execution failed us in the fourth quarter tonight," said Lakers coach Phil Jackson, essentially repeating what he said after Game 1. "Some of that is their elevated play. I think they played a little harder, a little tougher."
Other scorers
Tim Duncan finished with 24 points, but he didn't score in the fourth quarter despite the Spurs dumping the ball into him on most of their early possessions. Manu Ginobili added 15 points for San Antonio.
Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said Duncan's lack of points down the stretch demonstrated his team's versatility.
"For us it's better to do it out of our team offense and see what happens," he said. "Maybe its Tony's night, or Manu's or Hedo's [Turkoglu]."
O'Neal had 32 points, while Kobe Bryant had 15 points on 7-for-17 shooting.
O'Neal said the Lakers have to figure out a way to contain Parker, who scored 20 points in Game 1.
"We have to trap him and make him throw it to other guys," said O'Neal, who was also the game's top rebounder with 15.
"He's pretty fast, and so far he's been able to do whatever he wants to do."
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