AP
Washington Wizards' Antawn Jamison (four) and Caron Butler (three) scuffle with Cleveland Cavaliers' Zydrunas Ilgauskas during their NBA play-off game in Cleveland yesterday. The hosts won 93-86 to take a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven series.

SAN ANTONIO (AP):

TIM DUNCAN saved the San Antonio Spurs with a rare three-pointer at the end of overtime, and Manu Ginobili hit a layup at the end of the second extra period to send the defending champions past the Phoenix Suns, 117-115 yesterday in Game One of their first-round series.

The third-seeded Spurs cele-brated almost as jubilantly as if they'd won the finals yet again after beating the Suns, their post-season nemesis. The teams will meet again in San Antonio on Tuesday night before the series shifts to Arizona.

Anticipated series

This first-round series, which would have been fitting as a Western Conference finals, was the most anticipated. So far at least, it has more than delivered.

Duncan finished with 40 points and 15 rebounds.

Michael Finley sent the Spurs to overtime with a last-second three from the wing, tying the game at 93.

Two-time MVP Duncan stole the show in the first overtime.

With his team down 104-101, Duncan found himself all alone at the three-point line. After only a slight hesitation, he fired the ball and made it with three seconds to play. It was Duncan's first three of the season. He was 0-of-4 previously.

In the second overtime, Ginobili drove the lane and his layup fell with 1.8 seconds left for the win.

Tony Parker added 26 points for the Spurs, and Ginobili had 24. Amare Stoudemire, who fouled out with 12 seconds left in the first overtime, led the Suns with 33 points. Nash had 25 points and 13 assists, O'Neal scored 11 points.

Tough shots

In Cleveland, LeBron James scored 32 points and made two tough shots in traffic down the stretch as the Cleveland Cavaliers opened the NBA play-offs with an intense 93-86 win over Washington.

Determined to shut up trash-talking Washington guard DeShawn Stevenson, who had called him "overrated" last month, James took a physical pounding.

But he led the Cavaliers to their seventh straight post-season win over the Wizards, who had their chances in the fourth but missed 10 straight shots and scored just two points in the final 4:39. Afterward, James felt no need to rub it in Stevenson's face.

"93-86," he said, "is the only words I need to say".

Game Two is tomorrow night.