“They beat us with the intangibles,” said Bell, who had 14 points. “They beat us with the little things. They beat us with the gamesmanship. They beat us with the attention to detail. The game plan. The commitment to doing all the little things to win games.

“That’s why they’re the champs. That’s why year-in and year-out no matter what people say about them they find a way to be right there in the mix and vie for a championship.”

Spurs coach Gregg Popovich had his players intentionally foul O’Neal, a 52 percent career free-throw shooter, throughout the game. He finished 9-of-20 from the line, dropping the Suns to 20-of-37 total on free throws.

The Spurs hit 24 of 30 free throws, led by 13-of-16 shooting by Parker.

Down three points to start the fourth, the Spurs battled back and Parker’s under-the-basket feed to Duncan gave the Spurs a 77-76 lead with 6:43 to play.

Nash’s first basket of the quarter, a mid-range jumper, put the Suns back up by one, 82-81, with 3:10 on the clock. After Parker’s jumper put the Spurs up 85-82, Nash answered with his first 3 of the night to tie it.

Nash fouled Parker, who hit one of two from the line to give the Spurs a one-point cushion. His free throw was the go-ahead basket for the Spurs.

With just under 40 seconds to play, Diaw threw the ball out of bounds and Parker’s jumper fell with 29 on the clock for an 88-85 Spurs lead. Diaw’s quick layup brought Phoenix within 88-87.

The Spurs jumped out to as much as an eight-point lead in the first quarter before the Suns evened things in the second.But the Spurs closed the half with an 11-2 run led by Parker, who had 20 points in the half, to go up 54-45.

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In the third the Suns went on a 15-2 run, with O’Neal on the bench for most of it with four fouls, to take the lead. Bell’s jumper as he fell to the floor put the Suns up 62-60 and his 3 after the Suns grabbed an offensive board and passed the ball all over the floor to finally find him open put them up 65-62.

Notes: Popovich also tried the so-called “Hack-a-Skinner” on Suns F-C Brian Skinner toward the end of the first quarter. Skinner, a 56 percent career free-throw shooter, hit three of four. ... Ginobili was just 2-of-11 from the field and scored eight points. All of his points in the fourth quarter were on free throws. ... Nash finished 4-of-16 from the field for 11 points. ... Kurt Thomas had 12 rebounds for San Antonio. ... Suns starting F-G Grant Hill was inactive, missing his second straight game with a groin injury.

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