Just when it seemed the Dallas-San Antonio series couldn't get any more amazing or intense, the closing seconds of a thrilling Game 5 ratcheted everything up another level.

And thanks to Tim Duncan, there will be a Game 6.

Duncan tied an NBA postseason record by making his first 12 shots and scored 36 points, Tony Parker scored 27, and the host Spurs withstood losing two jump balls in the final 6.3 seconds to keep their title defense alive with a 98-97 victory over the Mavericks on Wednesday night.

The Spurs still trail 3-2, but the way they played this game -- shooting more than 60 percent into the fourth quarter -- anything is possible.

The Mavericks will get a second chance at advancing to the conference finals on Friday night at home. If they can't do it, the Spurs will host Game 7 on Monday night.

Dirk Nowitzki scored a series-high 31 points for Dallas, including his first 3-pointer, which tied it at 95. Duncan made a pair of free throws to put San Antonio back ahead, then Devin Harris twisted in a layup around Duncan.

Manu Ginobili, who scored 18 points in his return to the starting lineup after coming off the bench the last two games, made only one of two free throws with 1:59 left -- yet that ended up being the winning point.

After several foiled possessions on both ends, including Parker missing an ugly looking reverse layup with 31 seconds left, Dallas' long, last series caught a break when Nowitzki was fouled trying to receive a pass with 15 seconds left.

The Mavs got the ball back to Nowitzki and he went up for a go-ahead eight-footer in the lane when Bruce Bowen -- who hadn't been covering him much all game -- swept in from behind and put his hand over the ball. It was clearly a jump ball with 6.3 seconds left in the game and five seconds left on the shot clock.

Using his five-inch height advantage, Nowitzki swatted the ball backward and it hit Ginobili as he tried starting a fast break. Dallas' Jason Terry dove on it and tried calling timeout, but Ginobili dove in and tied up the ball first.

Officials called it another jump ball, prompting drum-like chants from the crowd and protests from the Mavs bench. While trying to sort it all out, players were jostling for position around the midcourt jump circle. Had it been a hockey faceoff, nearly everyone would've been told to leave the area.

Once they finally got it off, a mistimed tip went straight to Dallas' Josh Howard. He called time with 3.4 seconds left and there was no controversy over that.

Terry got off a tough fadeaway from the right sideline, but missed. Nowitzki got the rebound, but couldn't get it to fall.

LATE TUESDAY

SUNS 125, CLIPPERS 118 (2 OT): Raja Bell promised to make the biggest 3-pointer of the night, and he did.

Shawn Marion limped off the court with a sore ankle, then returned for the last few of his 54 exhausting minutes of play.

Both walked off the court winners.

The Suns blew a 19-point, third-quarter lead, survived the first overtime, thanks to Bell's last-second 3-pointer, then pulled away to beat the Los Angeles Clippers.

When the wild night was over, the Suns had a 3-2 lead in the series and can advance to the Western Conference finals with a victory in Game 6 in Los Angeles tonight.

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