09:17 / 20.06.2005
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komentarz (0) | San Antonio 96 - Detroit 95 (OT)
FINAL 1 2 3 4 OT T
Spurs 21 21 22 25 7 96
Pistons 23 19 21 26 6 95
POINTS REBOUNDS ASSISTS
Duncan 26 Duncan 19 Ginobili 9
Billups 34 B. Wallace 12 Billups 7
Largest Leads: SAS by 9 / DET by 7
For "Big Shot Rob," this may have been the biggest shot of all.
Robert Horry drilled a 3-pointer with 5.8 seconds left in overtime to give the San Antonio Spurs an nerve-jangling 96-95 victory over the Detroit Pistons in Game 5 of the NBA Finals.
With control of the series teetering with each possession, Horry added yet another memorable clip to his career-long postseason hightlight reel and tilted the title heavily toward the Spurs, who head home with a 3-2 lead and the security of the next two games on their floor.
Known as "Big Shot Rob" for clutch shooting that has given him five championship rings, Horry scored all 21 of his points in the final 17-plus minutes, shaking off a painful shoulder injury.
"It's the playoffs, man," Horry said. "If you don't get excited about the playoffs, you don't even to deserve to be playing basketball."
Horry also bailed out Tim Duncan, who had 26 points and 19 rebounds but faltered down the stretch. He missed 6-of-7 free throws and a potential game-winning follow shot in the fourth quarter and missed two shots and committed a turnover in overtime.
Horry made 7-of-12 shots, including five 3-pointers, as he tied his career high for a Finals game. All but three of his points came with the Spurs trailing and either tied the game or provided a lead.
"That was probably the greatest performance I've ever been a part of, to see him there and to see him as calm as he was and willing to do whatever," Duncan said.
Horry's last two baskets were monumental. A jumper by Rasheed Wallace gave the Pistons a 95-91 lead with 1:43 to play. At the other end, Horry drove for a thunderous lefthanded dunk, drawing a foul and injuring his shoulder, which led to his missed free throw.
"When I was going through the air, I was like, 'Please let me get there, please let me get there,'" Horry said. "I took off so far, I kind of hurt my shoulder, just an old injury that keeps flaring up."
Chauncey Billups, who scored 34 points, missed shots on consecutive possessions while being hounded by Bruce Bowen. Duncan rebounded the second miss and called timeout with 9.4 seconds remaining.
The Pistons had one last chance and went Hamilton, who was guarded by the smaller Tony Parker. There was plenty of contact before Hamilton badly missed a jumper and time expired.
Time also may be expiring on Detroit's championship reign. Game 6 is Tuesday in San Antonio, where the Spurs are 45-5 this season and the Pistons have lost 10 straight games since April 2, 1997.
Ginobili had 15 points and nine assists and Parker scored 14 points for the Spurs, who for the second time in three years won Game 5 of the Finals on the road to snap a 2-2 deadlock. They also did it to New Jersey in 2003.
A series which had featured four blowouts could not have had a closer contest. There were five lead changes and eight ties in the fourth quarter, when it was a one-possession game for all but 42 seconds.
Horry answered two free throws by Billups with a 3-pointer for a 79-79 tie with 3:47 left.
"One time I shot a three from way out deep and I made it," Horry said. "(I said), 'Oh, I'm ready now.' I just had that feeling."
He went strong to the basket and drew a foul, sinking two free throws, then put home a follow shot, answering baskets by Hamilton and Wallace and forging two more ties.
"He's a big-time player," Brown said. "In moments like that, he's the difference."
Billups, a clutch shooter in his own right, sank a fadeaway jumper for an 87-85 lead, but Horry drilled a 3-pointer with 1:17 remaining.
Duncan missed two free throws and Billups drove past Bowen for a hoop before Duncan was fouled again with 33 seconds left. This time, he split the pair to tie it, but failed to put home Ginobili's missed drive before the horn.
Hamilton scored 15 points and Ben Wallace added 13, 12 rebounds and four blocks for the Pistons, who had all five starters in double figures.
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