PORTLAND, Ore., April 6 (UPI) -- Tim Duncan scored 27 points Sunday to lead the San Antonio Spurs past Portland 72-65.
San Antonio led the low-scoring contest by just 17-13 after the first period and 39-34 at the half.
Both teams shot poorly the entire contest. San Antonio carried a 61-52 lead into the fourth period and was not challenged the rest of the way but its shooting percentage was 38.9 percent.
Bruce Bowen and Manu Ginobili scored 10 points apiece and Duncan added 11 rebounds for the Spurs, who remained 1 ½ games behind New Orleans for first place in the Southwest Division and in the Western Conference.
Brandon Roy scored 18 points with four rebounds and four assists to lead Portland. Travis Outlaw had 14 points and three rebounds.
LaMarcus Aldridge added 12 points and 11 rebounds for the Trail Blazers, who lost center Joel Przybilla to a broken right hand in their fifth straight loss.
Portland shot just 34.2 percent.
