SAN ANTONIO — Tim Duncan's nagging knee is getting better, and Utah's playoff fate is getting worse.

Duncan said the pain in his troubled right leg was "basically gone" after a 105-99 victory over the Jazz on Friday night, giving the Spurs a welcome bit of good news in an otherwise dreary stretch. They've lost four of seven, have fallen to fifth in the West and began the week with word that injured Manu Ginobili won't be around for the playoffs.

San Antonio has three regular-season games left. How many games they'll last after that will depend on how well Duncan holds up.

"I'm getting my right leg back," said Duncan, who had 14 points and nine rebounds in the win over Utah. "I think it's basically gone. It was good to be out there without a brace on and try to play well."

Deron Williams had 25 points and 10 assists for the Jazz, who have lost five of six and are all alone at No. 8 in the West standings. Utah lost for the 20th consecutive time in San Antonio — a streak dating to 1999 — and dropped a full game behind Dallas and New Orleans.

If the Jazz don't make up any ground in their final three games, they draw the first-round matchup no team wants: Kobe Bryant and the dominant Los Angeles Lakers.

"Whoever we play in the first round, if it's the Lakers, go play them and lay it out there," Utah coach Jerry Sloan said. "You never know what can happen."

Tony Parker scored 31 points for the Spurs, who didn't make up any ground in the standings because of Houston and Portland victories Friday. San Antonio's final three are at Sacramento, at Golden State and home against New Orleans.

After losing to Portland on Wednesday, Parker said Duncan has been "playing on one leg for like a month and a half." Duncan said that wasn't entirely true.

"It's an exaggeration," he said. "I feel like I've been playing on a half a leg."

The Spurs are a half-game behind Houston in the Southwest Division, which San Antonio led for much of the season before being marred by inconsistency and injuries. The Spurs are 12-10 since March, a span that included just six games with Ginobili before tests this week revealed a season-ending stress fracture in his right ankle.

Mehmet Okur had 22 points and 10 rebounds for Utah. Ronnie Brewer scored 17 and Carlos Boozer added 15.

The Jazz go home to play Golden State and the Los Angeles Clippers before their regular-season finale Tuesday at the Lakers.

"One day we can play great, the next day we can stink it up," Williams said. "It's our identity right now, which is not a good identity to have."