NEW YORK (Reuters) -- Tim Duncan inspired the San Antonio Spurs to an 87-85 win over the Dallas Mavericks in the opening game of their Western Conference semifinal series in Texas on Sunday.

Duncan delivered 31 points and 13 rebounds for the defending NBA champions, who were playing less than 36 hours after their last game.

"It's the playoffs," Duncan told reporters. "Everything was kind of stacked against us but we played with everything we had to.

"He's the foundation for us," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said of Duncan, who scored 20 first-half points.

Bruce Bowen's three-pointer with 2:14 remaining broke an 84-84 tie and the Spurs never trailed as their defense clamped down on the Mavericks.

Jerry Stackhouse went for the win for Dallas at the end, missing a three-pointer when a two-point field goal would have sent the game into overtime.

He scored 24 points for Dallas, who also got 20 points and 14 rebounds from Dirk Nowitzki.

Game two of the best-of-seven series is in San Antonio today.

Stackhouse appeared to have an open shot in the game-ending sequence, but stepped back to take a three-pointer from the corner which failed. Especially crucial

San Antonio's defense was especially crucial on the play.

Dallas had wanted to go to Nowitzki for the final shot, but Bowen had him covered and a pass to Stackhouse was tipped by Manu Ginobili.

Stackhouse recovered the ball but could not make the shot. "If it somehow had a little more on it, then maybe we have a whole different feeling than we have right now," Stackhouse told reporters. "We felt like we came in here with the right attitude and the right energy. We just had a few mental mistakes in the end."

Josh Howard added 17 points for the Mavericks, while Tony Parker backed up Duncan with 19 points for San Antonio.

The loss was the first in the playoffs for Dallas, who swept Memphis in four straight games in the first round.

The Spurs needed six games to oust Sacramento, clinching the series on Friday.

In Detroit, the Pistons used a team-record 15 three-pointers to crush the Cleveland Cavaliers 113-86 in their Eastern Conference semifinal opener.

The sharp-shooting Pistons raced to a 69-48 halftime lead, connecting on 10 of 11 three-point attempts.

Tayshaun Prince led Detroit with 24 points, hitting all four of his three-pointers. Five other Pistons were in double figures as Detroit made 68.2 percent of their three-point attempts.

"That was unbelievable," said Coach Flip Saunders of his team's 15 for 22 efforts from behind the arc.

LeBron James scored all 22 of his points in the first half for Cleveland. Game two is in Detroit today.

Detroit scored a franchise-record 43 points in the second quarter.

"We know we are not going to shoot like that throughout the playoffs," Prince said. "I think it was a situation where this is the first game and we had to set a tone.

"With them having a tough first round (against Washington) and us having a few days off, you saw the fresh legs that we had. Guys were just making shots right and left."