Spurs win it all

[Bob Of Burleson]

Spurs shake early deficit
to snuff out Heat
and win 5th NBA title

Associated Press

SAN ANTONIO -- From their low moment in the NBA Finals, back to the top of the league.

The San Antonio Spurs turned the rematch with the Miami Heat into no match at all.

The Spurs finished off a dominant run to their fifth NBA championship Sunday night, ending the Heat's two-year title reign with a 104-87 victory that wrapped up the series in five games.

A year after their heartbreaking seven-game defeat, their only loss in six Finals appearances, the Spurs won four routs to deny Miami's quest for a third straight championship.

"Hard to believe, isn't it?" Manu Ginobili said. "We played at a really high level."

Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard had 22 points and 10 rebounds for the Spurs, who added this title to the ones they won in 1999, 2003, '05 and '07. They nearly had another last year, but couldn't hold off the Heat and lost the final two games.

San Antonio rebounded from an early 16-point deficit by outscoring the Heat 37-13 from the start of the second quarter to midway in the third, kicking off the celebration the Heat canceled last season.

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[planosteve]

Kawhi Leonard became the youngest player to be named MVP at 22 since Tim Duncan in 1999. This was Duncan's last year. So, the mantle was passed so to speak.

[bodine]

Even better, the Heat lost...