LOS ANGELES, (Reuters) – Antonio McDyess beat the buzzer by tipping in Tim Duncan’s missed shot to lift the San Antonio Spurs to an 89-88 win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday.
The Western Conference-leading Spurs improved to a league best 41-8, while the Lakers (34-16) are in a tie for second place with Dallas.
McDyess scored eight points and eight rebounds in the game, but his contributions in the final 10 seconds proved to be the difference.
“I haven’t had too many (game-winners), probably two or three,” said McDyess. “It was big. Probably the biggest one I’ve ever (scored).”
Trailing by a point after the Lakers’ Pau Gasol hit two free throws, McDyess grabbed an offensive rebound with 9.9 seconds left to keep a Spurs possession alive before scoring the winning basket on yet another offensive rebound.
“We should have boxed him out,” Lakers coach Phil Jackson said. “Too many opportunities at the end of the game. They had four attempts and it cost us. It was a good game. Defensively we played well.”
Tony Parker scored 14 of his 21 points in the third quarter as the Spurs nursed a lead through much of the second half. Richard Jefferson added 18 points for the Spurs, who average just under 104 points per game.
Gasol led the Lakers with 19 points and Kobe Bryant and Lamar Odom added 16 points each.
“You lose a game in the final seconds, it hurts a little bit more,” said Odom.