2007

Tony Parker opened the series with a performance that immediately revealed the Cavaliers' fundamental problem — they had no way to contain a 6'2" guard who could beat them off the dribble, hit the floater over their bigs, or find Tim Duncan rolling to the basket. Parker's 27 points on 10-of-16 shooting established the offensive template for the entire series: attack the paint, convert the floater or create for others, control the game's pace. The Cavaliers looked uncomfortable before the game reached halftime.

Parker hit 30 points and the Spurs extended their series lead with a dominant offensive performance that exposed every gap in Cleveland's defensive scheme. Manu Ginobili's second-unit scoring gave the Cavaliers a second layer of problems to solve — and when LeBron couldn't solve the first layer (Parker), the second layer (Ginobili) put the game out of reach. The two wins in San Antonio meant the Spurs needed just two victories in four games to claim the championship.

In Cleveland, with LeBron James and the home crowd desperate for a response, the Spurs won the tightest game of the sweep with characteristic defensive composure. Parker was efficient rather than explosive — 17 points on limited attempts — and Duncan controlled the glass to the point where Cleveland's second-chance offense produced nothing. The three-point margin felt larger than it was because the Cavaliers never generated a sustained run that put the lead in genuine danger.

One point. The San Antonio Spurs clinched their fourth NBA championship by a single point — the narrowest possible margin for one of the most dominant sweeps in Finals history. The final seconds produced the kind of tension that seven-game series manufacture: Cleveland had the ball, LeBron James was on the floor, and the Spurs' defense had to hold for one final possession. They did. Tony Parker was the first European-born player to hold a Finals MVP trophy. The Spurs dynasty had reached its fourth peak.