San Antonio 99, Denver 89

SAN ANTONIO (AP) -- San Antonio looked tired and more than a little ragged. Shots weren't falling, rebounds were getting away and the Denver Nuggets kept hanging around.

Five games into a tough first-round matchup in the Western Conference playoffs had the Spurs looking ripe for another home upset.

Then one basket fell, followed by another. Then the Nuggets started missing in the fourth quarter. Soon the Spurs were in control and on their way to a 99-89 victory that eliminated Denver and sends San Antonio on to a semifinals matchup with Seattle.

had 18 points and 11 rebounds for the Spurs, who lost the first game in the series, then won four in a row.

``I'm glad that is over,'' said Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, who looked as tired as his team. ``They are a monster. I'm thrilled to beat them.''

Spurs fans who left early in Game 1 as their team floundered down the stretch stayed for all of this one.

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After twice falling behind in the third, the Spurs slowly pulled away in the final period. Glenn Robinson, who was cut by New Orleans in March and signed as a free agent just last month, hit a jumper and then followed with a long 3-pointer that made it 80-72 with 7:35 to play. The lead reached as high as 12.

``It felt like Game 1 out there for a little while,'' said Spurs forward Robert Horry. ``We were trading basket for basket for little while, then we were able to get a few stops and get a lead.''

Manu Ginobili added 18 points and Horry scored 17, including a pair of key 3-pointers in the third for the Spurs.

Denver couldn't quite find the same game that won Game 1 and rallied them to overtime in a Game 4 loss on their homecourt. Down by 12, the Nuggets cut it to 85-78 before Bruce Bowen hit a 3-pointer from the corner.

``They play together with the heart of a champion,'' said the Nuggets' Kenyon Martin, who had 14 points and 11 rebounds in his matchup with Duncan. ``They didn't win (a title) a couple of years ago for nothing. They have pretty much the core they won with.''

Carmelo Anthony, who complained after Monday night's loss he didn't get enough touches, finished with 25 points for Denver. Andre Miller added 16 points for the Nuggets.

``All I can say is we competed until the last three or four minutes,'' Anthony said. ``There's nothing to really say. I can't hang my head.''