updated 1:32 a.m. ET April 23, 2008

SAN ANTONIO - Speedy Tony Parker rushed toward the basket on the fast break, then slammed into the 320-pound wall known as Shaquille O’Neal and fell to the floor.

“He was trying to play physical,” the Spurs point guard said. “But that’s not going to stop me.”

Parker and Manu Ginobili got to the rim time and again on Tuesday and San Antonio beat the Phoenix Suns 102-96 — this time without double overtime or a game-saving 3-pointer from Tim Duncan — to take a 2-0 lead in their best-of seven series.

Parker scored 32 points and Ginobili added 29 for the Spurs, who kept their home-court advantage in tact and play Game 3 in Arizona on Friday.

“Between him (Parker) and Manu those guys were at the rim all night and making some shots over their bigs,” said Tim Duncan, who had 18 points and 17 rebounds. “Just a great game for both of them.”

For the second straight game, the Suns lost a double-digit, first-half lead. The Spurs were down by as many as 14 early before outscoring the Suns 27-11 in a breakout third quarter to take control.

“I guess we had an offensive meltdown in the third quarter,” Suns point guard Steve Nash said. “It just wasn’t a productive quarter. Offensively we lost our rhythm and that was pivotal.”

The defending champions racked up a 56-42 advantage in the paint and they beat Phoenix at what’s traditionally been the Suns’ game, outscoring them 23-4 on the break.

Of taking on O’Neal in the paint, Parker joked that “on a good day, I’m like 160 (pounds).”

“If he wants to go in and play amongst those big dudes, they’re going to put him on the ground,” said Suns guard Raja Bell. “And if he can keep getting up and doing it, God bless him.”

The Spurs still had to withstand a fourth-quarter surge that got the Suns within five points with 14 seconds to play.

Amare Stoudemire led the Suns with 33 points but struggled after halftime, when he shot 2-of-11 from the field.

“We had beaten them (two) straight times, now they’ve beaten us twice; it just happens to be in the playoffs,” Nash said. “We’re just going to have to play really well at home and get back on a streak.”

The Spurs went up by as many as 17 points in the fourth quarter after taking control in the third. But Nash led a 10-0 run to bring Phoenix within 96-91 with 2:44 left on the clock.

Duncan had a dunk with 1:47 to play and Parker followed with a bucket to put San Antonio back up 101-93.

Then Stoudemire hit just his sixth 3-pointer of the season with 14 seconds left — a la Duncan’s game-saving 3 to force a second overtime in Game 1 — to make it 101-96. After that the Suns resorted to fouling and it was too late.

Nash had 23 points and 10 assists for the Suns. O’Neal had 19 points and 14 rebounds.

The Suns had five turnovers in the third quarter and went just 3-of-18 in the period, leaving them with an 81-72 deficit with a quarter to play.

Ginobili hit his third 3 of the game early in the fourth and Parker followed, weaving his way through orange-shirted defenders and to the basket for a layup that put San Antonio up 86-73 with 10:40 to play.

“A couple of times they (Parker and Ginobili) got to the basket,” O’Neal said. “We just have to make it tough for them to do that.”

Another score by Parker put the Spurs up 94-77 before the Suns started chipping away. O’Neal hit one of two from the line and Nash’s dead-on 3 brought Phoenix within 94-81.

Parker pushed the Spurs back up by 15 before Nash led the run that threatened the Spurs’ victory.

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