NBA: San Antonio Spurs push Memphis Grizzlies to brink

The former NBA champions win 104-93 after a sluggish start to move within one game of the finals.

Tim Duncan, second from left, scored the first five points of overtime. Ronald Martinez / Getty Images / AFP

The San Antonio Spurs shook off a sluggish start and dominated overtime to beat the Memphis Grizzlies 104-93 on Saturday and move within one game of reaching the NBA finals.

The Spurs posted their second straight overtime victory to take a commanding 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven Western Conference final series.

The winners of the set will face either Miami or Indiana for the NBA title, and the Grizzlies go into game four on their home floor on Monday knowing that no team has rallied from an 0-3 deficit to win a seven-game NBA play-off series.

Tim Duncan, San Antonio's veteran star, scored the first five points of overtime. He scored seven of the Spurs' 18 points in the extra session, finishing with 24 points and 10 rebounds.

Point guard Tony Parker scored 26 points and handed out five assists, and Manu Ginobili chipped in 19 points and pulled down seven rebounds as the Spurs rallied from an 18-point first-quarter deficit.

They did not lead the game until early in the fourth quarter, but were relentless in overtime to hand the Grizzlies their first home defeat of this post-season.

Follow us