Tony Parker had 31 points and 11 assists and Manu Ginobili also scored 31 to help the San Antonio Spurs post a 110-99 win over the New Orleans Hornets in Game Three of the Western Conference semi-finals.
Tim Duncan recorded 16 points and 13 rebounds and Bruce Bowen scored 12 in helping the defending champion Spurs earn their first win in the best-of-seven series.
San Antonio can even the conference semifinals at 2-2 with a win at home in Game Four on Monday.
The Spurs, who had been outscored, 65-35, over the previous two third quarters combined, held a 29-22 edge in this one to help create an 83-78 advantage heading into the fourth.
Then Ginobili took over.
The reigning Sixth Man of the Year scored nine points, including a four-point play, in the first five minutes of the quarter, and Bruce Bowen's three-pointer from the corner gave the Spurs a 101-88 edge with 5:55 left.
Chris Paul did his best to keep New Orleans in it with 35 points and nine assists.
The Hornets, who coasted late in the first two victories, now have their work cut out for them against the defending champions. It appeared early on as if the Hornets picked up where they left off in the previous two meetings, jumping to an 8-0 lead.
Behind Paul's 14-point outburst in the first, the Hornets held a 23-21 after the opening quarter. Parker paced the Spurs with 10 points in the first.
Bowen and Michael Finley hit back-to-back three-pointers from the corner to give San Antonio a 41-37 lead midway through the second. New Orleans responded with eight straight points before Ginobili's three-pointer tied the game at 45-45 with 2:11 left in the half.
Ginobili poured in 16 points in the first half, including a last-second jumper that cut the Spurs' deficit to 56-54 at intermission.
Earlier, Paul Pierce scored 19 points and Ray Allen broke out of his slump by scoring all 16 of his points in the second half to help frustrate LeBron James at every turn during the Boston Celtics' 89-73 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game Two of their Eastern Conference semi-finals series.
Kevin Garnett chipped in 13 points and 12 rebounds for Boston, who shook off a slow start to grab a 2-0 lead in the series and improve to 6-0 at home this postseason.
The Celtics will look to put a stranglehold on the series Sunday in Cleveland, where Boston has not won since 2004. If James does not find his game there, the Cavs may not make it back to Boston again this season.
A five-time All-Star, James scored 21 points but needed 24 shots to do it and turned the ball over seven times. He is 8-of-42 from the floor with 17 turnovers in the series overall.
Just as in Game One when he made only two baskets, James was forced to take a host of jumpers, missing on too many for Cleveland to have any chance.