BASKETBALL

WESTERN CONFERENCE PLAYOFFS

The San Antonio Spurs held of a late rally by the Utah Jazz to win their Western Conference finals opener 108-100 yesterday.

Tim Duncan scored 27 points and grabbed 10 rebounds and Manu Ginobili added 23 points and 10 assists as the hot-shooting Spurs sank nearly 55 percent of their shots.

Deron Williams scored 34 points to lead Utah with Carlos Boozer contributing 20 points and 12 rebounds.

San Antonio enjoyed an 18-points advantage with 10 minutes left in the game, but Utah pulled within eight behind Williams' 18 fourth-quarter points.

Game two is set for San Antonio on tomorrow.

San Antonio 108 Utah 100. (San Antonio lead best-of-seven series 1-0).

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BOWLS

NORTH HARBOUR CHAMP OF CHAMP FOURS

Men

Semifinals: Silverdale bt Beach Haven 18-11, Browns Bay bt Glenfield 13-12.

Final: Browns Bay (D. McMurchy, E. Simmonds, B. Langridge, D. Bawden) bt Silverdale (B. Turner, R. Jeffries, B. Dane, W. Seeque) 16-8.

Women

Semifinals: Glenfield bt Hobsonville 20-10, Browns Bay beat Mairangi Bay 19-8.

Final: Browns Bay (P. Mytton, M. Holland, J. Seager, G. Bagnall) bt Glenfield (C. Fredrick, R. Lynch, K. Blackburn, S. Rose) 17-10.

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CANOEING

WORLD CUP

(Szeged, Hungary)

NZ results

K2 1000: S. Ferguson /M. Walker 3.13.479 5; K1 men's 500: S. Ferguson 1.43.720 7; K1 women's 500 B final: E. Taylor 2.02.085 13; K1 men's C final: B. Fouhy 3.39.880 4.

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CRICKET