McDyess buzzer-beater gives Spurs win over Lakers

LOS ANGELES, (Reuters) – Antonio McDyess beat the  buzzer by tipping in Tim Duncan’s missed shot to lift the San  Antonio Spurs to an 89-88 win over the Los Angeles Lakers on  Thursday.

The Western Conference-leading Spurs improved to a league  best 41-8, while the Lakers (34-16) are in a tie for second  place with Dallas.

McDyess scored eight points and eight rebounds in the game,  but his contributions in the final 10 seconds proved to be the  difference.
“I haven’t had too many (game-winners), probably two or  three,” said McDyess. “It was big. Probably the biggest one I’ve  ever (scored).”

Trailing by a point after the Lakers’ Pau Gasol hit two free  throws, McDyess grabbed an offensive rebound with 9.9 seconds  left to keep a Spurs possession alive before scoring the winning  basket on yet another offensive rebound.
“We should have boxed him out,” Lakers coach Phil Jackson  said. “Too many opportunities at the end of the game. They had  four attempts and it cost us. It was a good game. Defensively we  played well.”

Tony Parker scored 14 of his 21 points in the third quarter  as the Spurs nursed a lead through much of the second half.  Richard Jefferson added 18 points for the Spurs, who average  just under 104 points per game.
Gasol led the Lakers with 19 points and Kobe Bryant and  Lamar Odom added 16 points each.

“You lose a game in the final seconds, it hurts a little bit  more,” said Odom.