San Antonio Spurs won the NBA title for the third time in seven years after beating Detroit Pistons 4-3 in the finals in June. Their outstanding player Tim Duncan won the Most Valuable Player award, the third time he has received the honour.
The Spurs finished the 2004-2005 season ranked No 2 in the Western Conference with a 59-23 record, finishing with the best record in the Southwest division. In the postseason they defeated the Denver Nuggets 4-1, the Seattle Supersonics 4-2 and the Phoenix Suns 4-1 before advancing to the NBA Finals, where they completed their victory over Eastern Conference champions and defending NBA champions Detroit Pistons.
Duncan became only the fourth player to win the finals MVP award three times, joining Magic Johnson, Shaquille O'Neal, and Laureus World Sports Academy member Michael Jordan. Manu Ginobili established himself as a NBA star, earning local, national, and international praise, particularly in his home country of Argentina, and winning a place in the All-Star Game.
