Here's a guess: With about eight minutes left, with the Spurs hanging onto a 1-point lead, Ginobili threw in a 3-pointer.

Oberto scored with an offensive rebound that Ginobili had kept alive, and a few minutes later came a stretch of Ginobili vs. Fisher plays that decided the game. Ginobili started by launching another 3-pointer, and Fisher chose not to go straight up as Ginobili had three years before.

Fisher fouled, and Ginobili followed with three made free throws.

Ginobili went back to the line and, a possession later, Fisher tried to draw a charge. Ginobili instead kept going until he scored and, on the way back up the court, Fisher and Ginobili intersected.

A no-call made sense, but Ginobili sold the bump. A technical foul on Fisher joined with one on Jerry Sloan, and it was official. Ginobili had crept under the skin of another opponent.

"I don't know why he got upset," Ginobili said. "I can't recall doing anything for that to happen. But, you know, if that helps the team win and get a couple of easy free throws, I'm ready to do it."

Fisher would get ejected with one, last hard foul. And as ESPN tried to corner Ginobili for a post-game interview, Gregg Popovich came over to get him off the floor. He feared the crowd would throw something.

They left in a flash — about 0.4 seconds.

---

E-mail: bharvey@express-news.net

Buck Harvey is a sports columnist for the San Antonio Express-News.