SAN ANTONIO, June 23 (Xinhuanet) -- Tim Duncan scored 25 points and grabbed 11 rebounds to help the San Antonio Spurs edge the Detroit Pistons 81-74 in Game 7 of the Finals on Thursday, taking their third NBA champions since 1999.

    

The San Antonio Spurs beat the Detroit Pistons 81-74 in Game Seven of the NBA Finals Thursday to win the best-of-seven series 4-3. Duncan came up huge in the second half and was chosen finals MVP after having the worst playoff series of his career. (Photo: Sina)

Duncan was rewarded for his efforts by being named Finals MVP. He also won the honor as San Antonio took the title in 1999 and 2003.

    Detroit led 39-38 at half-time but the Spurs fought back to winby forcing the tempo, controlling the boards and daring the defensive-minded Pistons to run with them.

    Duncan was shut out for 14 minutes in the mid-way point of the game but he got back into it by scoring from under the basket at 6:18 of the third to make it 48-43.

    "I felt the game was going bad for me but it was about pushing through my teammates continued to feed me," said Duncan. "They were more confident in me than I was. I got one to fall and then things started happening. the whole game was about perseverance."

    Argentina's Manu Ginobili also had a massive game for the Spurs, scoring 23 points to become only the third player to win an Olympic gold medal and an NBA championship in the same season.

    Robert Horry scored 15 points for San Antonio and picked up his sixth NBA championship ring. He won three titles with the Los Angeles Lakers and two with the Houston Rockets.

    The Spurs made twice as many three-point field goals during the post season than their opponents and they carried that skill over into game seven, making 7-of-11 threes (64 percent) Thursday compared Detroit hitting just 2-of-14.

    San Antonio never trailed in the fourth and Ginobili's three-pointer with 2:54 left giving the Spurs their biggest lead of the game, 72-65. Enditem

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