Spurs advance with win over Nuggets

Michael Finley set a San Antonio playoff record with eight three-pointers last night and the Spurs advanced to the Western Conference semifinals with a 93-78 victory over the visiting Denver Nuggets.

Finley was 8-for-9 from beyond the arc and finished with 26 points.

"Stay with the concept," Finley said. "Stay with the team philosophy. As long as we do that, we'll be successful."

The Spurs were also led by Tim Duncan, who had 23 points and 12 rebounds. San Antonio, which dropped Game 1 at home before winning the next four, will meet the Phoenix Suns in the second round.

Allen Iverson and Carmelo Anthony had 21 points each for the Nuggets.

In another game:

* At Phoenix, Amare Stoudemire had 27 points and 16 rebounds as the Suns defeated the Los Angeles Lakers, 119-110, to advance to the second round of the Western Conference playoffs. Phoenix won the series, 4-1. Kobe Bryant's 34 points led the Lakers.

* Stan Van Gundy interviewed for the Charlotte Bobcats' head-coaching job, his first coaching interview since resigning from the Miami Heat in December 2005.

Van Gundy is under contract with Miami through the end of next season, but Heat president Pat Riley gave him permission to interview.

Bernie Bickerstaff served as the Bobcats' coach and GM in their first 3 years and is staying with the team in a front-office role.

* Golden State's Stephen Jackson won't be suspended for receiving his second ejection of the postseason in the closing moments of Tuesday's Game 5 loss to Dallas. However, Warriors coach Don Nelson announced Jackson would be fined "a substantial amount" for the incident. The Western Conference first-round series, which the Warriors lead 3-2, continues tonight in Oakland.

* Portland Trail Blazers guard Brandon Roy won the Eddie Gottlieb Trophy as the NBA's Rookie of the Year. Roy averaged 16.8 points, 4.0 assists and 35.4 minutes in 57 games.

He received 127 out of 128 first-place votes (638 points) from a panel of sports writers and broadcasters. Toronto's Andrea Bargnani finished second with 264 points, and Memphis' Rudy Gay was third with 93 points. *