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

They survived one Thursday 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 Thursday, the last time San Antonio faced a must-win game was 2006, when they were down 1-3 to the Dallas Mavericks, then came back to force a Game 7 and lost in overtime.