Spurs reach NBA finals

Tim Duncan (left) and Steve Kerr celebrate the Spurs' win

The San Antonio Spurs rallied from a 15-point deficit to beat the Dallas Mavericks 90-78 and reach the NBA finals.

Veteran guard Steve Kerr was the hero as the Spurs wrapped up a 4-2 series win and secured a final spot against Eastern Conference champions the New Jersey Nets.

Kerr, 37, who turned it around for the Spurs after being thrown into the fray late in the third period, with the Mavericks apparently in command.

His hustle and touch took San Antonio on a run of 31-8 to turn the game around.

Stephen Jackson also provided some late-game heroics, starting the comeback with back-to-back three-pointers to bring the Spurs to within three points with more than eight minutes to play.

Then Kerr went to work, hitting from three-point range to square scores at 71-71 and then again to make it 74-71 for the Spurs.

Another from outside the arc made it 79-71 and he finally took a seat with his team 81-73 ahead after scoring 12 points in 13 minutes - all three-pointers.

That was after Raef LaFrentz carried the load early for Dallas, pouring in eight points while grabbing seven rebounds.

Dallas, without top shooter and rebounder Dirk Nowitzki because of a knee injury, inched ahead in the second quarter, with veteran Walt Williams making a big three-pointer just before the break to make it 46-40.

Dallas play the New Jersey Nets - who thrashed Detroit in four games in their series - in San Antonio in game one of the best-of-seven series on 4 June.