The San Antonio Spurs held off a fourth-quarter rally by the Utah Jazz to win their Western Conference finals opener 108-100 on Sunday.
Tim Duncan scored 27 points and grabbed 10 rebounds and Manu Ginobili added 23 points and 10 assists as the hot-shooting Spurs sank nearly 55 per cent of their shots.
Frenchman Tony Parker contributed 21 points and six assists for the Spurs, who held an 18-point fourth-quarter lead before the Jazz charged back behind an inspired Deron Williams.
Williams scored 18 of his career-high 34 points in the final period as Utah came within seven before free-throws carried San Antonio to the win.