Duncan had 15 points and three blocks at the half. He started the series with a miserable five points and three rebounds in Game 1. After suffering from flu-like symptoms and running a fever earlier in the series — something he was loath to discuss — he said the day before Game 4 that he was feeling good.

His spin move on Tyson Chandler for an easy layup put San Antonio up 47-33 with four minutes left in the half.

Paul had 14 points at halftime, but the Hornets were down 55-42 at the break. West was struggling as he was harassed by the Spurs but also missed a couple of open shots, including an airball to start the second quarter.

In the third quarter, when the Hornets were so dominant in the first two games, the Spurs kept up their hot shooting and New Orleans got worse.

Chandler had to sit with 8:39 to play after picking up his fourth and fifth fouls in quick succession. He finished with just two points — a pair of free throws — and four rebounds.

Ginobili’s floating jumper with 7:19 left and ensuing foul shot put the Spurs up 69-48, and the Spurs would finish the quarter with a 7-0 run and their biggest lead of the night to that point, 85-61.

Scott emptied his bench to start the fourth. Spurs coach Gregg Popovich soon did the same.

“What we have to do is get the level of intensity back,” Scott said. “That’s the bottom line. We’ve got to compete. And I don’t think we competed tonight.”

Notes: Paul’s mother and Hornets F Julian Wright’s mother were in attendance ... The Hornets switched to their teal uniforms on Sunday from the gold they wore in Game 3. ... Parker’s wife, Eva Longoria Parker, was at the game. She missed her own TV show, ABC’s “Desperate Housewives,” which was on during the game. ... Actor Tommy Lee Jones and country singer George Strait also were in the crowd. ... Spurs F Robert Horry played in his 237th playoff game Sunday, tying Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the NBA record. Horry called tying Abdul-Jabbar’s record “a dream come true.” ... Ime Udoka scored 15 for the Spurs. Michael Finley had 12.

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