Trail Blazers 98, Spurs 96
Nicolas Batum’s buzzer-beating basket capped a run of eight straight Portland points as the Trail Blazers rallied to an improbable 98-96 victory over the visiting San Antonio Spurs on Friday.
Batum scored on a lob from Andre Miller as time expired after tying the game by making two free throws with less a second remaining as Portland improved to 42-30.
The Spurs (57-15) committed their third turnover in the final 32 seconds to give Portland the ball under its own basket to set up the decisive basket on Miller’s eighth assist of the contest.
Batum and Miller scored 21 points for the Trail Blazers, who trailed 96-90 after San Antonio’s Manu Ginobili hit a 3-pointer with 1:21 left. Miller scored on two layups prior to Batum’s game-tying free throws.
Wesley Matthews added 15 points and LaMarcus Aldridge and Gerald Wallace scored 14 apiece for Portland. Wallace also had 10 rebounds.
Ginobili scored 21 points and Tony Parker added 15 points for San Antonio.
The Trail Blazers led 75-70 after Batum’s basket 20 seconds into the fourth quarter. San Antonio then went on a 16-2 run, taking the lead on Gary Neal’s layup. DeJuan Blair’s basket ended the surge and gave the Spurs an 86-77 lead with 6:22 remaining.