Injured stars return to push San Antonio past the Lakers in Game 1.
The San Antonio Spurs secured a 91-79 win over the Los Angeles Lakers at the AT&T Center in Game 1 of their Western Conference first round clash.
Tony Parker returned to form following an injury-hit conclusion to the regular season, as he scored 18 points with eight assists.
In addition, the same could be said for Manu Ginobili who missed the final stretch of the season with a hamstring strain. He returned with aplomb on Sunday as his 18 points off the bench helped seal the win going 3-for-5 shooting from beyond the arc.
Tim Duncan also enjoyed a productive night, adding 17 points in a powerful display going up against the likes of Pau Gasol and Dwight Howard.
The Lakers, playing without the injured Kobe Bryant, had Steve Nash return to the fold, but were forced into twice as many turnovers as their opponents which allowed the Spurs to open up their lead.
Howard had 20 points and 15 rebounds, while Gasol added 16 points and 16 rebounds, but it wasn’t enough to avoid an opening game defeat. They will try again on Tuesday night, as they hope to even the series before heading back to LA.
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