Spurs showcase superior offense to win yet another title, sweep Philadelphia 76ers 130-136 (4-0).

James Harden (42 points) willed the 76ers to a 1-PT lead, then Joel Embiid (36 points, 16 rebounds), finally erasing a seemingly insurmountable cushion lead by the Spurs. The two teams had been in a neck-and-neck scoring war all game long, with San Antonio unable to break open any early lead. Danny Green hit 5 threes to help cut the deficit, finally finding his stroke, but the trouble is, Buddy Hield never lost it. 

He had 26 points, bombing six threes and a clutch dagger late, as did Brandon Ingram (24 points) off a slick pass from the sensational M-V-P, Dejounte Murray (26 points, 9 rebounds, 16 assists). Andre Drummond had 19 rebounds, including a lead-protecting swat on both James Harden & Joel Embiid late in the final minutes. Fred VanVleet stepped up to open the 4th Quarter, finishing with 17 points.

Philly went back down by 4 points with time ticking away on their championship aspirations, then Tobias Harris & Tyrese Maxey missed 3PT chances in the final seconds, before Murray iced the game at the free throw line. The Sixers faithful stayed as some left for the exit during the championship celebration for the away team, as Philly came up short in sending this series back to San Antonio for a Game 5.

In defeat, the 76ers should be commended for figuring out a scheme that worked. Unfortunately, this Spurs team just had too much arsenal from the perimeter, with league M-V-P, Dejounte Murray, hammering home dunks as the leader of the road villains. This marks the 14th consecutive championship victory for San Antone, a league-best 19th as a professional basketball organization, as the Spurs relish their status as the winningest ball club ever.

The Philadelphia 76ers have now gone 0-4, meeting the Spurs in 4 of the past 5 NBA seasons, which is no small feat, though it would be sweeter with a title. Two of the meetings ended in four games, with the other two going the length of 5. Ben Simmons has come and gone from the Sixers, and the newer duo James Harden & Joel Embiid have had some sizzling showdowns with the Spurs, but it has yet to lead to a championship, begging the question of what is the missing factor in cracking the code of the Spurs. Other teams like the Utah Jazz, Los Angeles Lakers & Memphis Grizzlies have taken this team to the brink of elimination in a 7 game series over the years, but Philadelphia has not come close, winning just 2 games out of 18.

For the Spurs, the timeless question will be "how can this dynasty get even stronger?" as the offseason unfolds. Coach Popovich & R.C. Buford have some decisions to make with free agents and will need to respond strongly to moves made by the league's 29 other teams.

The Finals: Spurs edge 76ers for pivotal 3-0 lead in thriller, 147-141.

San Antonio came in with its firepower, hitting 21 threes, but Philly finally put together a strong game making 15 of their own from deep. Both teams shot above 50%, but the Spurs drew more free points at the charity stripe, making all but one.

The Spurs scorched Philly, 46-29 in the 1st Quarter, then 45-39 in the second for a huge halftime advantage. With series control on the line, the 76ers made a valiant comeback in the 3rd Quarter, 41-29, then eeked out more points in the final period, 32-27, but they needed 39 to carry the day. They got very close, but never took the lead in Game 3, trailing by as large as 25 points.

Joel Embiid had 25 points with 9 rebounds, 3 steals & 2 blocks. Tobias Harris had 23 points, with James Harden dishing 10 assists to go with 22 points (still cold, 2-7 3PT). Tyrese Maxey had 13 points, 6 rebounds & 10 assists. Danny Green continued a cold shooting series, going 3-11 from 3PT range.

For San Antonio, Brandon Ingram officially entered the Finals MVP conversation with 35 points, 8 rebounds & 5 assists. Buddy Hield was no slouch, dropping a fiery 27 points on seven bombs from distance. Dejounte Murray had 22 with 6 assists. Kevin Love had 16 points, 9 rebounds in a nice effort. Andre Drummond had 14 rebounds.

Philly now moves into precarious, sadly familiar territory against the Spurs in the NBA Finals, on the brink of season-ending elimination.

The Finals: Spurs hold off 76ers in Game 2, 115-126. (2-0)

Dejounte Murray led the Spurs in Game 2 with 19 points, with Andre Drummond's double-double of 17 points, 13 rebounds, with 4 blocks, shoring up the interior. Kevin Love contributed 10 boards with 17 points also, hitting 4 threes. Fred VanVleet had 16, as did Brandon Ingram, with 12 from Buddy Hield.

San Antonio won the first three quarters, 36-23, 30-29, 31-26, before a late run by Philly (37-29) made for some excitement, albeit too late. For Philadelphia, Joel Embiid had 24 points with 14 rebounds. Tyrese Maxey had 19 points & 11 assists. James Harden was cold from 3PT range (1-7), but finished with 19 points. Tobias Harris had a strong showing with 18 points, 17 rebounds.