San Antonio overcame a hostile Madison Square Garden crowd for the win which sealed the National Basketball Association Championship.

The Spurs win the best-of-seven NBA Finals series by four games to one to win their first title.

Knicks coach Jeff Van Gundy tries to boost Latrell Sprewell

They are the first former American Basketball Association (ABA) team to take the crown.

The title was not assured until the Knicks failed to score on the game's final play.

An awkward pass from Charlie Ward found Latrell Sprewell too far under the basket, and the Spurs stormed the court to celebrate.

New York, the first eighth-seeded team to reach the finals, were trying to become the first team to claw back from a 3-1 deficit in the championship series.

Twin towers

But San Antonio's seven foot "Twin Towers" of Tim Duncan and David Robinson were the stars with 23-year-old Duncan named Most Valuable Player of the championship series.

"We wanted to finish it tonight and we did," said the MVP after his team's victory.

Veteran centre Robinson added 15 points and 12 rebounds for the Spurs, who set up a record run of 12 wins in a row on their way to the title.