The San Antonio Spurs' worst nightmare became a reality when they lost the decisive game of the NBA Finals to the Miami Heat on Thursday.

The agony of their 95-88 defeat in Game 7 of one of the most exciting NBA Finals in years was made all the worse in the knowledge they could just as easily have won the title themselves.

The Spurs were just seconds away from clinching a fifth NBA championship in Tuesday's Game 6 when Miami pulled off a miraculous escape.