By Michael Levine

May 16, 2007: SCOREBOARD | IN FOCUS GALLERY | AROUND THE ASSOCIATION ARCHIVE

PHOTO OF THE NIGHT
Manu Ginobili scored 22 of his game-high 26 points after halftime, including 15 in the fourth quarter of the Spurs' comeback win. Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE/Getty
QUOTE OF THE NIGHT
"If they want to take offense to a little love tap, that's their problem. It's a man's sport. I didn't try to hurt the boy. The boy went to the basket and I gave him a playoff foul."
-- New Jersey's Mikki Moore talking about his Game 4 flagrant foul on Sasha Pavlovic prior to Game 5. Pavlovic returned the favor in the third quarter Wednesday, but Moore (14 points, six rebounds) had the last laugh in an 83-72 series-extending win.
THE DAY'S TOP VIDEO
Wednesday's top play: Bruce Bowen's tie-breaking corner 3-pointer
  • Haier Play of the Day
  • Dunk of the Night
  • Block of the Night
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  • BlackBerry Assist of the Night
  • Steal of the Night
  • NBA TV Top 10
    • NBA.COM'S FANTASY TAKE
    For the third time in as many games, Chicago is facing elimination. Assuming you already used up Luol Deng and Ben Gordon, now's the time to turn to Kirk Hinrich and others. If you're afraid that the Bulls could force Game 7 and become the first NBA team ever to overcome a 3-0 deficit, start thinking about the best Pistons for your Drive to the Finals team. Read the expert's pick.
    SHOOTING STUDS
    Shawn Marion, Suns
    88-85 loss vs. Spurs
    24 pts, 9-16 FG, 4-4 FT

    Manu Ginobili, Spurs
    88-85 win at Suns
    26 pts, 7-15 FG, 9-9 FT

    Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Cavaliers
    83-72 loss vs. Nets
    16 pts, 6-8 FG, 4-4 FT

    STAT SHEET STUFFERS
    Jason Kidd followed his Game 3 triple-double and 17-rebound Game 4 with 20 points, nine boards, six assists, four steals and two blocks (plus eight turnovers) in Wednesday's 83-72 Game 5 win in Cleveland. Kidd's late troubles (see below) included five consecutive misses from the free throw line in the final minute and an awkward fall after a collision with LeBron James near the Cavaliers' bench from which King James did not return. Watch video of the play.
    SHOOTING DUDS
    Larry Hughes, Cavaliers
    83-72 loss vs. Nets
    3-17 FG, 1-4 3-pt FG, 7 pts

    Leandro Barbosa, Suns
    88-85 loss vs. Spurs
    3-12 FG, 8 pts

    Drew Gooden, Cavaliers
    83-72 loss vs. Nets
    2-7 FG, 4 pts

    BIG SHOT BRUCE?
    With Robert Horry serving the first half of his two-game suspension for his role in the Game 4 fracas that also forced Phoenix's Amaré Stoudemire and Boris Diaw to the sidelines, which San Antonio role player would step up late? Turns out, much to the Suns' chagrin, that it was Bruce Bowen. The all-world defender, who had drawn attention recently for some 'unconventional' tactics, hit a tie-breaking 3-pointer from the right corner with 36.4 seconds left to cap a 13-2 Spurs run and give them their first lead since 11-10. San Antonio triumphed, 88-85, and has a 3-2 lead heading home for Friday's Game 6. Manu Ginobili tallied 26 points and 10 rebounds and Tim Duncan added 21 and 12.
    THE LESSER (OR IS IT MORE?) OF TWO EVILS
    The Nets needed a strong showing in Wednesday's Game 5 to keep their season alive, but hit just one shot in the final 12 minutes (a Vince Carter jumper with 4:06 left) and had the second-lowest fourth-quarter scoring output in NBA playoff history (six). Somehow that was enough to force Game 6. New Jersey held the host Cavs to just 13 points in the period and its one-time 22-point lead was never seriously threatened in an 83-72 victory. The teams' 19 combined points in the final frame far surpassed (or didn't, depending on how you read it) the previous playoff record of 24 (Detroit and Utah combined for just 18 in the fourth quarter of a March 2005 regular-season game). N.J. shot 55.6% in the first half and was hitting at a .593 clip through three quarters to build the big lead.