Tony Parker had 24 points and six assists, Kawhi Leonard added 15 points and 11 rebounds, and the San Antonio Spurs survived without Tim Duncan for a 91-85 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday night.

Parker hit the tiebreaking jumper with 2:13 to play, and Manu Ginobili capped his 20-point performance off the bench with a key defensive play and a dunk in the final seconds of the Spurs' road opener.

Duncan sat out after bruising his chest in Wednesday's season-opening victory over Memphis. Boris Diaw hit a key 3-pointer with 1:40 to play and scored 14 points while starting in his place.

Pau Gasol had 20 points and 11 rebounds for the Lakers, who finished their season-opening string of three games in four days with two losses after their season-opening win over the Clippers.

After San Antonio erased an early 15-point deficit, the teams traded 14 lead changes in a tense fourth quarter. Parker put the Spurs ahead to stay, and Tiago Splitter made an impressive tip-in with 1:10 left to cap a 9-1 Spurs run.

Kobe Bryant sat out for the Lakers, and is still weeks away from a return after tearing his Achilles tendon in April.

Associated Press

(China Daily 11/03/2013 page7)