SAN ANTONIO — Must-win situations are not a familiar place for the San Antonio Spurs.

They survived one last night, earning the chance to play in another.

The defending champions beat the New Orleans Hornets, 99-80, in Game 6, staying alive and forcing a winner-take-all Game 7 on Monday in New Orleans.

"That's what you want to have, an opportunity," said Spurs point guard Tony Parker. "That's why Game 6 was huge. We won the game and now we have an opportunity to win a game on the road."

Manu Ginobili scored 25 points, Tim Duncan had 20 points and 15 rebounds, and Parker added 15 points to tie the Western Conference semifinals.

The Spurs cruised through last year's playoffs and to their fourth title in nine seasons without ever facing the threat of elimination.

Before yesterday, the last time San Antonio faced a must-win game was 2006, when it was down 1-3 to the Dallas Mavericks, then came back to force a Game 7 and lost in overtime.

"We know what we're facing. We're facing elimination," Duncan said. "And we know we have to put a good game together there. ... We're going to take it in there and it's do-or-die."

Chris Paul led the Hornets with 21 points and eight assists, and Tyson Chandler scored 14 points. David West had 10 points on 4-of-14 shooting before leaving the game early in the fourth quarter after aggravating a back injury.

"It's sore right now. Good thing we have two or three days here to get rest and treatment. It's the way it happens sometimes," West said.

The aging defending champions and the injured Hornets now get three days off before the deciding game in New Orleans, where the Hornets have won three blowouts.

"Thank God we get to go back to New Orleans for Game 7," Paul said.

Home teams are 20-1 in the second round of the playoffs. The Hornets are the No. 2 seed and the Spurs the third. The teams had the same regular-season record, were tied in their head-to-head matchup and had the same division record. The Hornets won the Southwest Division and got the higher seed because they had the better conference record.

"I have confidence," Parker said. "We've won a lot of big games on the road."

Despite the closeness of the series, Game 6, like the five before it, was won by double digits. It was also won, like those before it, in the third quarter, when the Spurs outscored the Hornets 20-12.

"It's something about them third quarters," Paul said. "It's the same way in New Orleans."

The Spurs took the lead for good after Parker's jumper with 4:27 left in the first quarter broke a 17-all tie. They led by as many as 24.

The Spurs hit 11 of 21 3-pointers, led by six from Ginobili. The Hornets had just two 3s. But the Hornets had 48 points in the paint to just 28 by the Spurs.

NEW ORLEANS 24 27 12 17—80

SAN ANTONIO 36 22 20 21—99

NEW ORLEANS-Stojakovic 5-10 2-2 13, West 4-14 2-2 10, Chandler 7-8 0-0 14, Paul 9-18 3-3 21, Peterson 1-5 0-0 3, Pargo 1-6 0-0 2, Wells 0-3 0-0 0, Wright 4-8 0-0 8, Ely 1-3 3-4 5, James 0-3 2-2 2, R.Bowen 1-2 0-0 2. Totals 33-80 12-13 80.

SAN ANTONIO-B.Bowen 1-6 3-4 6, Duncan 7-14 6-8 20, Oberto 2-4 0-0 4, Parker 6-13 2-3 15, Ginobili 9-15 1-2 25, Udoka 5-5 0-1 13, Horry 0-3 0-0 0, Finley 1-6 0-0 2, Thomas 3-4 0-0 6, Barry 1-2 0-0 2, Vaughn 1-2 0-0 2, Bonner 2-3 0-0 4. Totals 38-77 12-18 99.

3-Point Goals—New Orleans 2-9 (Stojakovic 1-1, Peterson 1-2, Wright 0-1, Wells 0-1, James 0-1, Paul 0-1, Pargo 0-2), San Antonio 11-21 (Ginobili 6-9, Udoka 3-3, Parker 1-1, B.Bowen 1-5, Barry 0-1, Horry 0-1, Finley 0-1). Fouled Out—None. Rebounds—New Orleans 42 (Stojakovic, West, Paul, Chandler, Peterson 6), San Antonio 51 (Duncan 15). Assists—New Orleans 13 (Paul 8), San Antonio 28 (Duncan 6). Total Fouls—New Orleans 19, San Antonio 21. Technicals—West, New Orleans defensive three second, San Antonio defensive three second. A—18,797 (18,797).

DAILY GLANCE

ALL TIMES HAWAI'I

QUARTERFINALS

(Best-of-7)

YESTERDAY

SAN ANTONIO 99, NEW ORLEANS 80, SERIES TIED 3-3

TODAY

Boston at Cleveland, 2 p.m., Boston leads series 3-2

L.A. Lakers at Utah, 4:30 p.m., L.A. Lakers lead series 3-2

SUNDAY

Cleveland at Boston, 9:30 a.m., if necessary

MONDAY

Utah at L.A. Lakers, TBA, if necessary

San Antonio at New Orleans, TBA

Note: Detroit beat Orlando, 4-1, to advance to East finals