Spurs 110, Grizzlies 103 (OT)
Gary Neal's last-second shot forced overtime, and Tony Parker had the pivotal basket in the extra period as the San Antonio Spurs stayed alive with a 110-103 win over the visiting Memphis Grizzlies in Game 5 of their Western Conference first-round series.
The Spurs were on the precipice of a stunning elimination, but Neal prolonged San Antonio's season by hitting the game-tying 3-pointer from the top of the arc as time expired.
The teams traded went back-and-forth in overtime until Parker's 13-foot jumper put the Spurs up 105-103 with 1:32 remaining. Memphis missed a chance to tie on one end, while Antonio McDyess botched a tip-in of a Parker miss that would have put the Spurs up by four on the ensuing possession.
The Grizzlies pressed for the tie one more time, but Marc Gasol was forced into a clumsy fadeaway that missed the rim, resulting in a shot clock violation.
George Hill hit two free throws to make it a four-point game with 15.8 seconds left, and Mike Conley missed a 3-point attempt at the other end. San Antonio put the game away at the free-throw line.
Manu Ginobili led the way with 33 points for the Spurs, who narrowly avoided becoming just the second No. 1 seed in NBA history to lose in the first round.
Zach Randolph's 26 points and 11 rebounds paced the Grizzlies, who can still wrap up the series with a win in Game 6 Friday night in Tennessee.
Down eight at halftime, the Grizzlies made a game of it by chipping away at the lead over the course of the third quarter. Darrell Arthur's putback of a Sam Young miss made it a one-point game, and Young followed with a 3-pointer that put Memphis ahead for the first time since the opening quarter.
Tiago Splitter hit back-to-back shots to draw the Spurs even inside the four-minute mark of the final quarter, but consecutive turnovers allowed Memphis to pull back in front by four. The Grizzlies fended off numerous San Antonio challenges until the final minute, when the Spurs drew to within a single point on a Hill reverse layup with 37.9 seconds remaining.
Randolph put the Grizzlies up three on an 18-foot jumper with 13 seconds left, then hit four free throws down the stretch after the Spurs twice drew to within a single point.