#NBATogetherLive: Tim Duncan named Finals MVP after leading Spurs past Knicks for 1999 NBA Championship

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In 1999, the San Antonio Spurs lifted their first Larry O'Brien Championship trophy, defeating the New York Knicks in the NBA Finals, 4-1

Tim Duncan, in just his second season, was named Finals MVP, the first of three such honours and five NBA championships overall for the recently elected Hall of Famer. 

The Spurs legend was dominant throughout the series, averaging 27.4 points, 14 rebounds, and 2.2 blocks per game. 

Watch the game below:

The Spurs lost just twice en route to their first title, sweeping the Los Angeles Lakers and the Portland Trail Blazers in the Western Conference semi-finals and Western Conference Finals respectively. 

The Big Fundamental closed out the Knicks in Game 5 with another dominant performance, recording 31 points and nine rebounds, while David Robinson added 15 points and nine rebounds. 

Jaren Jackson (11 points) and Mario Elie (10) were the only other players to score in double figures on the night, but it was and Avery Johnson (8 points) who proved to be the hero, knocking down the game-winning shot to seal the 78-77 win. 

“It was more a relief than anything else,” David Robinson said after the win.

“When you haven’t won, people are always telling you that you don’t have this or you need that. And you never know what it is. Everyone from coaches to players get criticized, so you’ve kind of got to put your head down and keep plowing forward and try to figure out how to put the pieces together.”

After the Spurs began the lockout-shortened season 6-8, they went 31-5, including wins in 12 of their last 13 games, setting the stage for a dominant post-season run. 

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Benyam Kidane is a senior NBA editor for The Sporting News.