Parker sinks winner to lift Spurs over Thunder

SAN ANTONIO, Texas (AFP) –

Parker sank a 3-pointer from the left corner with 28 seconds to play

Tony Parker, pictured at the Olympics in August, sank the game-winning jump shot Thursday as time expired to give the San Antonio Spurs an 86-84 NBA victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder

Tony Parker sank the game-winning jump shot as time expired to give the San Antonio Spurs an 86-84 NBA victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Tim Duncan scored 20 points and grabbed eight rebounds while Parker added 14 points and 11 assists to spark the triumph.

The Spurs became the first 2-0 team in the NBA by spoiling the Thunder’s season opener in a rematch of last year’s NBA Western Conference finals. The Thunder ousted the Spurs but lost to Miami in the NBA Finals.

Reigning NBA scoring champion Kevin Durant netted a game-high 23 points and pulled down a game-high 14 rebounds while Russell Westbrook, who joined Durant on the Olympic gold medal US team in August, added 18 points for Oklahoma City.

Parker sank a 3-pointer from the left corner with 28 seconds to play to lift the Spurs into an 84-84 deadlock and San Antonio took the ball after a turnover by Westbrook on the final Oklahoma City possession.

Parker then eluded Westbrook off a screen and took the ball on the left side and sank the winning shot.