Tony Parker had 17 points to lead the Spurs. Tim Duncan, who was held scoreless in the middle two quarters, had 14 points and nine boards for San Antonio, which is ahead 3-0 in the series, and a victory away from winning the title for a fourth time in nine years. The Spurs can complete the sweep Thursday night at Quicken Loans Arena.
No team has ever rallied from a 3-0 deficit to win a best-of-seven series.
James hit a layup with 6.3 seconds left to get the Cavaliers within 73-72, but Manu Ginobili drained two free throws with 5.5 seconds left.
On the ensuing inbounds pass, Bruce Bowen, San Antonio’s defensive stopper who had 13 points, got his hands on James, trying for the foul before a three-point try in the closing seconds. No foul was called and James’ shot caromed off the rim. Zydrunas Ilgauskas tried to keep the ball alive for the Cavs, but time ran out, and Cleveland, in its maiden voyage to the Finals, is in danger of going down in four straight.
James then complained to the officials that a foul should have been called while he was in the act of shooting, but the Spurs walked off the court a win shy of another championship.
"I’m just thrilled by Bruce Bowen," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "He’s guarding somebody that’s going to be a Hall of Fame player when it’s all said and done obviously. What a yeoman effort on his part. I just thought he was fantastic."
Even though the Spurs had a foul to give, James called the contact incidental with Bowen after the game.
"It didn’t affect my shot. I had a good look at it, I missed it," James said.
James had 25 points, eight rebounds and seven assists. Drew Gooden contributed 13 points and 12 rebounds before fouling out, and Sasha Pavlovic also had 13 points. Ilgauskas ended with 12 points and 18 boards.
The 147 points nearly set a record for the lowest combined score in a Finals game in NBA history. That mark is held in a 74-71 final with the Fort Wayne Pistons beating the Syracuse Nationals in 1955.
Three-point shooting was a big difference, as the Spurs made 10-of-19 from beyond the arc, while the Cavs were 3-for-19. Bowen made 4-of-5 from long distance.
Michael Finley’s three-pointer boosted the Spurs to a 67-57 lead with 6:38 left in the game, but the Cavaliers scored the next eight points, getting within two on a pair of James foul shots with 1:55 left.
Duncan came back with two free throws and Parker seemed to hit the dagger, a three from the right wing, for a 72-67 margin with a minute left. Pavlovic then banged in a three from the left corner.
Anderson Varejao blocked Parker’s shot along the left baseline with 25 seconds to go, but the Cavs didn’t call a timeout. Instead, James fed the ball in the lane to Varejao, who spun past Duncan, but missed badly on a scoop shot.
Ginobili hit a foul shot with 10.4 seconds left to set up the dramatic ending.
Ginobili had just three points, but Daniel Gibson, who had stepped up in a few playoff games for the Cavaliers, went a dismal 1-of-10 from the field for two points.
The Cavs, who hosted an NBA Finals game for the first time in their 37-year history, elected to go with Gibson as their starting point guard. Larry Hughes was inactive for the contest due to a left foot injury.
It was tight throughout the opening quarter. James’ layup moved the Cavs ahead 5-4, and the home team didn’t trail the rest of the period, holding an 18-16 edge after 12 minutes.
Parker hit a shot in the lane at the buzzer to cap a big run at the end of the second quarter, giving the Spurs a 40-38 lead at the half. Robert Horry, in a quest for his seventh championship ring, hit a three-pointer with 31.2 seconds left in the half. Then, after Gibson missed a layup, Parker drove into the lane for his shot to culminate 10 straight San Antonio points to end the half.
The star players for both teams accumulated three fouls in the first half. Duncan had eight points for the Spurs, while James tallied a team-best nine for the Cavs, but both went to the bench midway through the second after being charged a third foul.
Although the Cavs trailed by just two, compared to the 25 they were behind at the break on Sunday, Cleveland could never go back in front. They were behind 55-50 going into the fourth quarter.
Game Notes
The Spurs shot 36.7 percent from the field, while the Spurs ended at 41.2 percent...Bowen also had nine boards.
Cleveland Cavaliers 
San Antonio Spurs 
