Los Angeles - The game plan is simple: the defending NBA Champion San Antonio Spurs must go from road kill to road warriors, if they want to move on. Argentine Manu Ginobili scored 25 points with six three-pointers, Tim Duncan had 20 points with 15 rebounds, and the Spurs staved off elimination by routing the visiting New Orleans Hornets 99-80 on Thursday night to force a deciding game seven in their Western Conference semifinal playoff series.
"Things went our way tonight and we are thrilled to play a seventh game in New Orleans," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said.
The Spurs return to New Orleans for the winner-take-all game on Monday night, where they have been blown out of all three games by an average of 19 points.
"We know we are facing elimination and we have to put a good game together there," Duncan said. "We believe we are a good road team and we are going to do our best to make a game of it. Hopefully, we'll play a little better than we have in the past.
"If we can clean some things up, it's going to be about us putting it on the floor and doing a better than them for 48 minutes."
Frenchman Tony Parker tallied 15 points and Ime Udoka added 13 timely points off the bench for the Spurs, who outscored their guests 41-29 in the second half.
"Tonight, we did a good job. We played pretty good defence and offence," Parker said. "We got our lead in the third quarter and everybody rested in the fourth."
Chris Paul led the Hornets with 21 points with eight assists. David West, who had career playoff-highs of 38 points, and 14 rebounds in game five five, finished with 10 points before leaving early in the final period after re-injuring his lower back.
"I don't think our guys were totally focused on what we needed to do," Hornets coach Byron Scott said. "Maybe in the back of their minds they had that false sense of 'Hey, we got game seven at home, so just in case we do lose, at least we are going home for the last one.'"
The Hornets are headed home with an opportunity to advance to their first conference final in front of their highly-energized fans.
"I'm excited because this is what the NBA is all about," Paul said. "Game seven, everybody will be tuned in and we'll have a good game.
"We just have to concentrate, come out, be aggressive, be focused and take care of home," he added.
With their backs against the wall, the Spurs led most of the night. They shot a sizzling 58 per cent (22-of-39) from the field en route to a 58-51 halftime advantage behind Ginobili's 15 points, while Duncan had 14 and 10 from Parker.
Just like it has been through the first six games, the third- quarter proved to be decisive again, this time in the Spurs' favour.
With Paul slowed by two quick offensive fouls, the Hornets were outscored 20-12 in the period and fell behind 78-63.
"There's something about those third quarters," Paul said. "We were right where we wanted to be, but that third quarter got away from us and it was ugly from there. At one point you say, 'Man, just get this game over.'"
With the Spurs comfortably ahead, 84-63 with 10:11 remaining, West ran into a hard offensive back pick set by Robert Horry and crumbled to the floor. He lay face down holding his lower back and writhing in pain. Minutes later, the All-Star forward was led to the locker room for treatment.
"It's sore right now," West said. "Good thing we have two or three days here to get rest and treatment."
