(Sports Network) - Tim Duncan recorded 19 points and nine rebounds, as the San Antonio Spurs defeated the Miami Heat, 91-84, at American Airlines Arena.

George Hill had 15 points and seven rebounds for the Spurs, who have won eight of nine and move a full game ahead of idle New Orleans in the Southwest division. Matt Bonner and Roger Mason had 11 points apiece, while Manu Ginobili posted 10 points in the win.

"I am just happy to be out there. Anything that helps our team win games," Hill said of his extended minutes in the fourth quarter. "I just want to help our team win. I think today it gave us the best shot to help us win."

Tony Parker contributed eight points and seven assists for San Antonio.

"It was a good defensive game both ways," said Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich. "We were able to make a couple of shots down the stretch. The defense was sound for 48 minutes. That's the way we have to be if we want to do anything at the end of the season."

Dwyane Wade had 24 points and 12 assists for the Heat, who have lost three of five. Shawn Marion posted 15 points and seven rebounds, while Michael Beasley added 15 points and a season-high 12 rebounds.

"We couldn't get over that hump," Marion said. "They're a tough team. I think we just missed some big shots, and they hit some big shots when they needed to. It was a good effort out there; we just had a couple miscues here and there."

Udonis Haslem had 10 points and seven rebounds for Miami.

"(The Spurs) are efficient. It's a heartbreaker," Beasley said. "We fight back and get in it, and they just stab you again. They have been doing it for so long, it's kind of expected."

Down five at the start of the fourth, the Heat forged a 65-65 tie early in the frame on Chris Quinn's three-pointer.

After Wade tied the game at 68 on a three-point play, the Spurs went on a 7-0 burst, and Mason's jumper put San Antonio up, 75-68 with 8:12 left.

The Heat fought back, as Beasley's jumper with 3:34 left pulled the team to within 84-81, but Mason's wide-open jumper with 1:24 on the clock extended San Antonio's lead to five.

After Duncan got a crucial offensive rebound with under a minute to go, Parker drove for a layup with 26.8 seconds left to put the Spurs up 88-81, a lead they would not relinquish.

Duncan tallied seven points in the opening frame, as the Spurs held a 21-15 advantage heading into the second quarter.

Marion's emphatic dunk with 2.9 seconds left in the half knotted the game at 39-39 after two quarters.

The Heat used a 7-0 run in the third to take their first lead at 56-55 on Marion's tip shot, but the Spurs closed the quarter on a 10-4 run to go up 65-60 before the fourth.

Game Notes

The teams split the season series, 1-1...San Antonio has won 12 of the last 15 meetings with the Heat...Miami fell to 12-6 at home, while the Spurs improved to 10-5 on the road...Beasley recorded his first double-double of the season...Quinn had eight points...Miami's Daequan Cook left the game in the second quarter with a left thigh contusion and did not return... The Heat will begin a seven-game road trip in Denver on Wednesday.







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