EDS: WILL be UPDATED ONLY if game goes overtime.
AP Photos
By BRIAN MAHONEY
AP Basketball Writer
SAN ANTONIO (AP) -Tony Parker scored 16 points, and the San Antonio Spurs led struggling LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers 58-33 in Game 2 on Sunday night after one of the most lopsided first halves in NBA finals history.
Tim Duncan had 15 points and Manu Ginobili added 12 for the Spurs, who were halfway to a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series as they seek a fourth NBA title.
With James in early foul trouble, the Cavaliers quickly fell behind and trailed by as many as 28 points in the opening 24 minutes. San Antonio barely missed the biggest halftime lead in a finals game, Boston’s 30-point bulge in its romp over the Lakers in 1985.
James scored 13 points, but shot only 4-of-11. He was lucky to avoid a third foul in the closing seconds of the half when he and Donyell Marshall contested Robert Horry’s missed 3-pointer.
The Spurs showed some rust in their 85-76 victory in Game 1 on Thursday, but did just about everything right in the first half Sunday. They shot 55 percent, outrebounded the Cavs 30-19, and limited Cleveland to 27 percent shooting.
And they were again causing fits for James, who was 4-of-16 in the opener and wasn’t on pace to be much better in this one.
James picked up two fouls less than 3 minutes into the game, heading to the bench after fouling Duncan with 9:05 remaining.
The Spurs, who made seven of their first nine shots in Game 1, started 6-of-9 this time. Parker was again the catalyst, capping a run of seven straight San Antonio points by going all the way to the basket, with a nifty spin move en route, for a layup that made it 16-6.
The Cavs tightened up the defense and scored seven straight points to get within three, but Francisco Elson had two baskets and Ginobili and Brent Barry each hit 3-pointers in a 12-0 burst that gave the Spurs a 28-13 lead with 1:21 left in the period.
San Antonio led 28-17 after one, with James limited to two points and two shots.
James came back to start the second quarter and quickly missed badly on two jumpers, then was called for traveling while going for a fast-break layup a couple of minutes later. Meanwhile, Duncan and Ginobili each had five points in the first 3-plus minutes of the period as the Spurs’ lead grew to 38-19.
James was woefully short on a free throw 15 seconds later and the rout continued. The lead got as big as 58-30 on Parker’s basket with 30 seconds left.
If the Cavs were going to even the series, it would take the largest comeback in NBA finals history. Baltimore erased a 21-point halftime deficit in a victory over Philadelphia in 1948.
Game 3 is Tuesday night in Cleveland.
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