Forward Kawhi Leonard had a team-high double-double of 22 points with 10 rebounds and guard Manu Ginobli dropped 19 points off the bench to lead the San Antonio Spurs to a 104-87 win over the Miami Heat and claim the team’s fifth championship in franchise history.
Desperate to avoid elimination in Game Five, Miami’s LeBron James came out firing in the opening quarter, attacking San Antonio relentlessly. James racked up 17 points and seven rebounds as the Heat led, 29-22, at the end of the quarter.
But just as they did in Games Three and Four, the Spurs took over the momentum of the game in the second quarter, outscoring the Heat 25-11 to take a 47-40 lead into halftime. The Spurs would build on that lead in the second half, leading by more than 20 points for majority of the final two quarters.
Following his hot start, James struggled for the rest of the game. The star forward scored just three points in the second quarter, nine in the third quarter and two points in the fourth, totaling a game-high 31 points. Miami forward Chris Bosh and guard Dwyane Wade, the remainder of Miami’s “Big Three,” scored 13 points and 11 points, respectively.
Meanwhile, San Antonio had four other players join Leonard, who was named the recipient of the Bill Russell Finals MVP award, in double-digit points. Guard Patty Mills had 17 points off the bench, including five three-pointers. Forward Tim Duncan had 14 points with eight rebounds and guard Tony Parker had 16 points.
The Spurs celebrated their fifth championship since Duncan brought the first title to San Antonio in 1999. The Spurs beat the New York Knicks in the 1999 Finals and defeated the New Jersey Nets in the 2003 NBA Finals. They also beat the Detroit Pistons for the 2005 NBA title and handed LeBron and the Cleveland Cavaliers a loss in the 2007 NBA Finals.
