(Agencies)
Updated: 2007-11-17 15:38

San Antonio  - Tim Duncan had 25 points and 13 rebounds, and the San Antonio Spurs beat the Houston Rockets 90-84 on Friday night. Manu Ginobili added 19 points for the Spurs and Michael Finley had 17.

Houston Rockets center Yao Ming (L) defends San Antonio Spurs guard Manu Ginobili, of Argentina, during the fourth quarter of their NBA basketball game in San Antonio, Friday, Nov. 16, 2007.  [Agencies]

Luis Scola, whose rights were traded from the Spurs to the Rockets over the summer, had a breakout game, scoring 20 points. Shane Battier added 16.

The Rockets, without an injured Tracy McGrady, managed to tie the game at 80 with 3:48 to play on Scola's jump shot. But even with Yao Ming's eight points in the quarter, the Spurs were able to pull away.

Ginobili made it 88-84 as he cradled the ball on his way to the basket for a layup with 57 seconds to go, and Duncan blocked Yao's layup attempt with 9 seconds to play. Tony Parker, who finished with 14 points, then sank a couple of free throws.

Yao had 14 points and nine rebounds for Houston. Mike James added 10 points.

The Spurs opened the fourth quarter up 69-64 after what had been a back-and-forth game early on. They never trailed after going up 47-46 late in the second quarter.

Duncan, who struggled two games ago, scoring just five points against the Los Angeles Lakers, didn't score in the fourth quarter. But Ginobili and Parker, who went 1-of-11 in the Spurs' Thursday night loss to their other in-state rival, the Dallas Mavericks, came up with six points apiece in the final period.

Duncan's right elbow was wrapped, but he clearly wasn't bothered much as he scored 20 points in the first half. He had 14 in the first quarter to give the Spurs a 25-24 advantage after one period.

Finley went 6-of-6 for 15 points at the half, when the Spurs held a 49-46 lead.

But even without McGrady, who has a sprained right elbow, the Rockets not only stayed close, but held the lead several times during the first half by as many as nine points. Finley's third 3-pointer of the game with 45 seconds left gave the Spurs a 47-46 lead. It was their first since Battier broke a 28-all tie four minutes into the second quarter.

Scola also was perfect in the half, making all six shots for 12 points. He had been averaging 3.9 points before Friday.

The Spurs pulled away early in the third. But Houston battled back with two baskets from Scola and a 3-pointer from Rafer Alston to get within 61-60 with 3:47 to play.

Ginobili's two 3s within 1:28 pushed the Spurs to a 69-60 lead, their biggest of the game. Battier made it 69-62 and a last-second goaltending call against Francisco Elson brought the Rockets within 69-64 and sent Spurs coach Gregg Popovich spinning around to lean on the scorer's table holding his head in his hands.