Mason's three puts Spurs past flailing Clips

Basketball Betting Lines

11/18/2008 - Los Angeles, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Roger Mason scored 21 points, including the go-ahead three-pointer with 8.4 seconds left in the game, to lead the streaking San Antonio Spurs in an 86-83 victory over the struggling Los Angeles Clippers.

Tim Duncan added 20 points, 15 rebounds and four assists for the Spurs, who have won a season-high three games in a row. Michael Finley had 19 points in the win.

Cuttino Mobley had 18 points for the Clippers, who have dropped three straight and nine of their 10 games this season. Chris Kaman chipped in 17 points and 13 boards in defeat. Baron Davis ended with 11 points and eight helpers.

A 9-2 Spurs run to open the fourth gave the visitors a 77-66 lead with just over 9 1/2 minutes remaining in the game. Duncan had four and Finley recorded five points on the run, while Eric Gordon's layup provided the only points for LA.

Still down 11 moments later, five points from the Davis's -- the first three from Ricky Davis and the next two from Baron Davis -- pulled the Clippers within six points, 81-75, with 5:50 showing on the scoreboard.

Mason dropped a jumper, but the Clippers poured in eight straight points to knot the contest up. Baron Davis hit a free throw to spark the surge, Kaman added two layups and Mobley drained a three to cap the 13-2 run with 1:04 showing on the clock.

Then, following a Mobley missed three, Duncan grabbed the rebound and the Spurs called a timeout.

On the inbounds, Mason took the ball and nailed a three from the top-right corner of the arc for an 86-83 San Antonio lead with 8.4 ticks left to play.

"Coach (Gregg Popovich) drew the play for me, I got it and wanted to make the best of it," said Mason. "Coach told me to take my time and when Ricky (Davis) backed off I drilled it."

For the final play of the game, Baron Davis took the inbounds pass, dribbled around just inside the half court line, passed to Ricky Davis, who kicked it right back to Baron Davis on the right wing.

"We're not getting good looks. I thought San Antonio spaced the floor well and got good looks," said Baron Davis. "We can do better offensively, we have to find a way to get better looks."

His desperation, off-balance three-pointer caromed off the glass as time expired to give the Spurs their ninth straight victory over the Clippers.

The Clippers jumped out to a 23-21 leaed after the first quarter. However, the Spurs took the lead, 43-38, at the break.

Mobley's layup brought the Clippers within four points, but Finley nailed a three-pointer and Duncan netted a jumper to give San Antonio a 58-49 lead with 4:50 left in the third.

The Spurs led by as many as 10 points in the third, but an 8-2 LA run to close out the stanza pulled the home team within 68-64 heading into the fourth. Mike Taylor accounted for six of the points, including a last-second shot.

Game Notes

LA shot 3-of-16 from three-point range, while the Spurs were 8-of-20 from behind the arc...The Spurs improved to 3-2 away from home this season and reached the .500 mark for the first time this season (5-5)...San Antonio has won 17 of 18, 19 of 21 and 22 of the past 25 matchups against the Clippers. It has also won five in a row as the guest in this series.