Spurs hold off Heat for eighth win in nine games

Manu Ginobili scored 22 points and Tim Duncan added 12 points and 11 rebounds as the San Antonio Spurs withstood a late Miami run to beat the Heat 88-76 on Tuesday for their eighth NBA win in nine games.

George Hill scored 16 points and Richard Jefferson added 15 as the Spurs improved to 40-25, seventh in the Western Conference, while the Heat slid to 35-33, seventh in the Eastern Conference.

Dwyane Wade scored a game-high 28 points for the Heat, which saw a six-game home win streak snapped.

The Spurs led 69-44 with 2:24 remaining in the third quarter but Miami closed the period with a 10-2 run, Wade sinking two layups and a 3-pointer.

The Heat opened the fourth quarter with an 11-0 run, Undonis Haslem scored six of his 12 points in 90 seconds of the spurt as Miami pulled within 71-65 with 8:23 to play.

Ginobili followed with a 3-pointer for San Antonio to stop the run and he followed with another to keep the Heat at bay to the finish.