Spurs 93, Mavericks 89: Manu Ginobili scored 23 points and visiting San Antonio squandered a big lead before surviving to even the Western Conference first-round series at two games apiece.

Boris Diaw had 17 points - including a big 3-pointer in the final minute - and Tim Duncan recorded 14 points and 10 rebounds for the Spurs, who host Game 5 on Wednesday. Tony Parker, Tiago Splitter and Patty Mills each scored 10 points for San Antonio.

Monta Ellis scored 20 points on 6-of-20 shooting, part of a 38.1 percent effort from the field for Dallas. Dirk Nowitzki chipped in 19 points and DeJuan Blair had 12 points on 5-of-5 shooting and 11 rebounds in just 15 minutes before he was ejected with 3:08 left for kicking Splitter in the head as both were on the ground.

The Spurs erased an early 10-point deficit with a dominant second quarter and went up 58-38 on Parker's basket less than three minutes into the third before the Mavericks made their run. Ellis had five points in a 9-0 burst, Nowitzki scored the final four points of the quarter to slice the deficit to 73-65 and Blair's basket with 4:50 left in the game put Dallas up 81-80.

Ellis' three-point play in the final minute tied it but Diaw answered with a triple to make it 90-87 with 32.9 seconds to go. Nowitzki scored inside, Ginobili split a pair of free throws for a 91-89 edge and Ellis' potential tying layup with 3.9 ticks remaining fell off the rim before Ginobili sealed it at the line.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Ginobili had seven points and four assists to help the Spurs outscore the Mavericks 32-13 in the second quarter en route to a 50-36 halftime lead. ... Splitter fouled out with 1:24 left, finishing with 12 rebounds. ... Mavericks C Samuel Dalembert had 15 boards but missed two free throws with 1:24 left and finished 1-of-6 from the line.