The San Antonio Spurs claimed their fifth NBA championship in franchise history with a 81-74 victory over the Detroit Pistons in Game 7 of the NBA Finals on Thursday night.
Tim Duncan led the way for the Spurs with 25 points, 11 rebounds and three blocks, earning his third Finals MVP award. Duncan scored 17 of his points in the second half, as the Spurs overcame a 39-38 halftime deficit.
The Pistons, who were trying to become the first team to repeat as champions since the Los Angeles Lakers in 2001 and 2002, fought hard until the end, but could not overcome their poor shooting. The Pistons shot just 34.2 percent from the field and made only four of their 18 three-point attempts.
Chauncey Billups had 15 points and seven assists for the Pistons, while Richard Hamilton added 15 points and six rebounds. Ben Wallace had a double-double with 12 points and 11 boards, but also missed seven of his nine free throws.
The Spurs, who also won titles in 1999, 2003 and 2005, joined the Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Lakers and Chicago Bulls as the only teams to win five or more championships in NBA history.
The Spurs also became the first team to win a Game 7 on the road since the Washington Bullets in 1978.
