SAN ANTONIO, Texas — The Dallas Mavericks have never made it to the NBA Finals, coming closest in 2003 when they lost to eventual champion San Antonio in the Western Conference finals. The Spurs also eliminated them in 2001.

The Mavericks were determined to make their own history, and yesterday was as good a time as any to thwart their nemesis, the defending champions. Dallas (60-22) was rested, off since Monday after a four-game sweep of Memphis. San Antonio (63-19) had but 36 hours to prepare after a grueling six-game series against Sacramento.

But Tim Duncan, hobbled all season with a painful plantar fasciitis injury in his right foot, would not let the Mavericks take advantage. In Game 1 of a Western Conference semifinal series between the teams with the NBA's second- and third-best regular-season records, the Spurs' star had a 31-point, 13-rebound performance in an 87-85 victory that went down to the last shot.

"He carried us basically the whole game," said point guard Tony Parker. "It was like when I was a rookie, and we were going to him all of the time. He was just going to work. He was feeling great. He was aggressive. ... If he plays like that, it makes it easy for everybody."

Duncan struggled to career lows in scoring (18.6), rebounding (11.0) and field-goal percentage (48.4) this season. Yet the Spurs won a franchise-record 63 games. His effectiveness was questioned by all, except Dallas.

"We battled Duncan the best we could. But he's won three championships, and he knows what he's doing," said Dallas star Dirk Nowitzki, who averaged 31.3 points in the first round but was limited to 20 points yesterday.

Bruce Bowen came up big on the game's final possession, which began with 13.9 seconds left.

Nowitzki got the ball on the right side, but Bowen was all over him. When Nowitzki tried going right, Duncan headed his way. So Nowitzki threw a crosscourt pass to Jerry Stackhouse.

Manu Ginobili nearly intercepted it, but Stackhouse recovered. He could've driven for a tying shot, but instead stepped back into the left corner and put up a well-covered 3 that came up way short.

PISTONS 113, CAVALIERS 86

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. — When LeBron James had the ball, he saw Detroit defenders to his left, to his right, and straight ahead.

The Pistons also had James seeing triple at the other end of the court.

Detroit made 10 3-pointers in the first half — one shy of an NBA playoff record — to open up a 21-point lead at halftime before cruising to victory over Cleveland yesterday in Game 1 of their second-round series.

The Pistons finished with a franchise playoff-record 15 3-pointers, on 22 attempts, and missed only one of their 11 attempts beyond the arc before halftime.

Detroit set a franchise playoff-record with 43 points in the second quarter.

"They're going to sweep the rest of the playoffs if they shoot like that and win the NBA championship," James said. "We shot 50 percent and had only six turnovers in the first half and we're down 22. It's hard to explain that."

James scored all of his 22 points in the first half, but the 21-year-old star had to work for each one. Triple-teamed at times, James was forced to take difficult shots or defer to teammates who didn't respond by making shots of their own.

"The team has to be in a zone situation behind me," said Tayshaun Prince, who led Detroit's "LeBron Rules" defense.

James didn't play in the fourth quarter after he was held scoreless in the third while the Pistons built a 30-point lead.