MIAMI (AFP) ― Tony Parker scored 10 of his 21 points in the fourth quarter as the visiting San Antonio Spurs rallied to beat reigning league champion Miami 92-88 in the opening game of the NBA Finals Thursday.

Parker rattled in a desperation jump shot with 5.2 seconds remaining to help seal the victory for the well-rested Spurs, who had nine days off heading into the first game of the league’s championship series.

“We didn’t make adjustments. We tried to contain them and make them take the outside shots,” Parker said of their late-game strategy.

Parker also had six assists and drained a couple of free throws with 7:47 left to give the Spurs the lead for the first time in the fourth after they trailed 52-49 at the half and 72-69 at the end of the third.

San Antonio kept it close throughout the contest as they spoiled another superb performance from Heat superstar LeBron James who finished with the 10th post-season triple double of his career.

“We made great plays down the stretch,” said Tim Duncan, who had 20 points and 14 rebounds. “We got a few offensive rebounds down the stretch and put them back in.”

Parker ran the clock down late in the fourth as he weaved and wobbled through the Miami defense before banking in a 16-footer with James draped on his back.

France’s Parker finished nine-of-18 from the field in 39 minutes of playing time.

“It felt forever too,” Parker said of his final possession. “I thought I lost the ball three or four times. At the end I was just trying to get the shot up.”

Game 2 of the series is on Sunday in Miami.

The Spurs have won four championships since 1999, with the last coming in 2007. That year, San Antonio knocked off a young Cleveland Cavaliers team led by James.

James had 18 points, 18 rebounds and 10 assists, while Dwyane Wade -- who was playing on a balky right knee -- scored 17 points for the Heat, who are the defending league champions and wrapped up the Eastern Conference title with a game-seven win over Indiana on Monday.

Chris Bosh and Ray Allen scored 13 points each for Miami, who were hurt by eight turnovers that included four in the fourth quarter.

“We just have to regroup,” said Miami coach Erik Spoelstra. “We’ve been through a lot, we’ve shown resolve and toughness. New we have to get back to work.”

Neither team showed any signs of wilting in the spotlight in the first three quarters as the Spurs kept pace with the Heat, setting the stage for Parker’s late-game heroics.

“It is a seven-game series. We are going to see if we can get better in game two,” James said.

The score changed hands four times in the first half as the teams traded baskets in the final seconds of the second quarter.

Duncan came off the bench with just 0.08 seconds to nail a short jump shot at the buzzer to cut the Heat lead to three points at the end of the second.

The Spurs made an inbounds pass to Duncan who caught and released the ball in one motion to cut Miami’s lead to three points.

Duncan’s bucket came seven seconds after Wade took a pass from James and hit a fade away jumper to make it 52-47. Before that, Parker drove to the basket for a layup with 23.1 seconds left to get San Antonio within three, 50-47.

The Heat finished strong in the third quarter by hitting a series of shots from beyond the arc that were set up by James.

Mario Chalmers nailed a three pointer from 24 feet to give Miami a five-point lead and Allen hit a jump shot from 23 feet with 38 seconds left to make it 72-67. James assisted on both baskets.

But Argentina’s Manu Ginobili wasn’t going to let Miami off that easy, hitting two free throws with four seconds left to cut the Heat’s lead to 72-69 heading into the final quarter.