Subs save Spurs

Rose, Ginobili make big plays in clutch to preserve win

Malik Rose made four of his seven shots from the field, including two big dunks to spark the Spurs' comeback. Catherine Steenkeste/NBAE/ Getty Images

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) -- Malik Rose started the rally and Manu Ginobili preserved it. That's what backups are for, right?

Rose got San Antonio rolling early in the fourth quarter with an emphatic dunk over Dikembe Mutombo, then Ginobili came up with a key steal, an even bigger jumper and a block in the final 1:30 as the Spurs beat the New Jersey Nets 84-79 Sunday night in Game 3 of the NBA Finals.

While Tim Duncan and Tony Parker were the stars of this victory, which put San Antonio ahead 2-1 in the series, those timely plays by supersubs Rose and Ginobili were crucial.

"They gave us great energy in the second half when we didn't have much," center David Robinson said. "Malik's dunk got the whole bench jumping up and down. Manu has probably been our most consistent player off the bench. You've got to love him."

Ginobili and Rose each scored eight points and were a combined 7-for-13. The accuracy was especially impressive on a night when the Spurs shot a combined 42 percent.

"Us role players were doing our job tonight," Rose said, smiling.

The Malik & Manu Show started in the opening minutes of the final period, with the Spurs down by three, right after coach Gregg Popovich stepped onto the court during a dead ball, clapped and screamed, "Come on now!"

SI.com On Site  Marty Burns: Tim Duncan and Tony Parker grabbed the headlines, but it was Manu Ginobili who made two key plays in the final minute to preserve San Antonio's victory in Game 3. • Click here for more  Analysis and Opinion  • Fast Breaks: Rose's jam lifts Spurs • Picks: Burns | Hollinger | McCallum More Stories  • Game 2: Recap | Box Score • Kidd struggles again in Game 3 • Nets' offense lets them down • Supersubs Rose, Ginobili save Spurs • Teams set mark for 1st-half futility • Notebook: Arena to transform quickly • Ratings down in first two games • No asterisk for this year's champ   Instant Poll  What was your reaction to Game 3? Great defense Terrible offense Some of both Bring back the Lakers View Results

So Rose did. Setting up one-on-one against Kenyon Martin, Rose dribbled around him and soared over the 7-foot-2 Mutombo for a slam that sparked a 14-3 run. Rose also had a steal, another dunk and a tough hook in traffic during that stretch.

The contributions made up for his rocky play the first three quarters, when had more turnovers (three) than points (two) and missed badly on several outside jumpers.

"The bench's role, Manu and me especially, is to change the flow, rebound, run the floor -- anything to get the team going," Rose said. "Tonight, I think we really did that."

Rose was so proud of the dunk that he's hoping to get it turned into a poster. His only regret was not wagging his finger in Mutombo's face, the way Mutombo likes doing after blocking a shot.

Rose said he's dunked on plenty of big men, but none as tall as Mutombo.

"I got him," he said. "It was a great feeling."

Ginobili's starring turn began soon after he went in with 2:14 left.

New Jersey was down by three and Lucious Harris, one of the Nets' top 3-point shooters, was dribbling behind the arc. Stephen Jackson popped the ball free, but Harris recovered. One bounce later, Ginobili swiped it for his fourth steal of the night. He had only one in 57 minutes over the first two games.

Ginobili topped that soon after when Parker drove the baseline and passed to him on the right wing. Ginobili stepped up and swished a 12-footer with 43.2 seconds left that bumped the lead to five; the Nets never got any closer.

There's not much time to hesitate," Ginobili said. "I knew that Kenyon was coming, so I just tried to get it high. ... I don't think they expected it, especially from me. Anybody can get lucky once."

Ginobili made one of two foul shots with 16.2 seconds left to make it a six-point game and with 6.3 to go Jason Kidd went up for a 3-pointer that could've cut the lead in half. Only Ginobili swatted it from behind for his second block of the game -- after none in the first two games.

"All season long, he's made some big shots," Parker said of Ginobili, who at 25 is hardly a typical rookie considering he's been playing professionally in his native Argentina and in Italy since 1996.

"In Europe, he played some big games, won the Euro League and some MVPs, so the NBA Finals is the same thing for him, a lot of pressure, a lot of attention ... so I don't think it's going to affect him."

San Antonio matched its fewest points of the postseason and was part of the lowest-scoring first half and second quarters in Finals history.

The Spurs also had the best second-quarter defense in Finals history, holding the Nets to nine points. The previous low-mark of 10 was set by the Knicks against San Antonio in 1999.

The Spurs also won their fifth straight road game this postseason. And two reserves played a huge part.