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NBA Today - May 7
Mon, May 7, 2007
By Associated Press


Golden State at Utah (10:30 p.m. EDT). The Warriors and Jazz meet for just the third time in the playoffs and the first time in the second round.

STARS

Sunday

- Tim Duncan, Spurs, had 33 points and 16 rebounds to lead San Antonio to a 111-106 victory over Phoenix.

- LeBron James, Cavaliers, had 21 points and 11 rebounds to help Cleveland defeat New Jersey 81-77.

STRENGTH ON STRENGTH

San Antonio beat Phoenix 111-106 Sunday in Game 1 of their Western Conference semifinal. It''s the second time since 1975 that the league''s highest-scoring team (the Suns at 110.2 points per game) is facing the top defensive team (the Spurs allow 90.1) in the playoffs. The other occasion was the 2005 Western Conference finals between Phoenix and San Antonio, which the Spurs won in five.

HEAD-TO-HEAD

A matchup of two of the league''s top point guards had an unusual consequence in San Antonio''s 111-106 win against Phoenix on Sunday. After Spurs guard Tony Parker stole a pass from the Suns'' Steve Nash, the two collided head-on with 2:53 to play. Parker fell to the floor while Nash''s nose was covered in blood. Nash, who scored 31 points, would end up missing a crucial 45.7 seconds of the final minute. The cut required six stitches after the game. Parker had 32 points for San Antonio.

STREAKING

San Antonio won its fifth straight playoff game with a a 111-106 victory over Phoenix on Sunday. The Spurs have now won 18 of their last 22 meetings against the Suns, including two of three during the regular season. ... Cleveland won its fifth straight as well, beating New Jersey 81-77.

SPEAKING

''You only see things like that in a boxing match where a guy cuts his nose and it won''t stop bleeding. You feel bad for the guy because you want to have the best team out there at the end of the game, and he wasn''t out there.'''' - San Antonio''s Robert Horry on the head-on collision between Steve Nash and Tony Parker in a rugged 111-106 victory for San Antonio Sunday.