CLEVELAND — The San Antonio Spurs plod along, poised and purposeful in everything they do.

They prefer fundamentals over flash, substance over style. The approach has made them champions before.

And most likely will again.

The Spurs, currently the closest thing to a dynasty in professional sports, moved within one win of their fourth NBA title in nine years on Tuesday night, wrecking a party Cleveland waited 37 years to throw with a 75-72 win over the Cavaliers in Game 3.

No team has ever come back from an 0-3 deficit to win the finals, and the overmatched Cavaliers, making their first appearance, are giving no indication they'll even threaten to make this series competitive.

"This," said LeBron James, "is all about them."

Tony Parker scored 17 points, Tim Duncan 14 and Bruce Bowen, the Spurs' defensive sheriff, added 13 for San Antonio, seeking its fourth title since 1999 and third in the past five seasons.

The Spurs won despite being outrebounded, making more turnovers and getting only three points from Manu Ginobili, who missed all seven field-goal attempts and didn't score until there was 10.4 seconds left.

That's when he dropped the first of three straight free throws to help hold off the Cavaliers and crush the hopes of their rowdy, towel-waving crowd, which had never before seen their team play a finals game in person.

Cleveland's chances, and maybe their last hopes of extending the season, ended when James, who led the Cavaliers with 25 points, eight rebounds and seven assists, missed a 3-pointer in the final seconds.

He appeared to be fouled before the attempt by Bowen, but there was no whistle.

"Incidental contact," James said. "It didn't affect my shot. I had a good look at it and I missed."

Bowen, who had just nine points in the first two games, scored 13 and Brent Barry made three 3-pointers for the Spurs, who can all but plan their victory parade on the scenic Riverwalk back home.

"We need to get one more, and that's it, however it comes," Duncan said. "We know they're going to come out this next game, they don't want to get swept."

The Spurs can secure another title with a win in Game 4 on Thursday night. If they do complete the eighth sweep in finals history, they'll join the Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Lakers and Chicago Bulls as the only franchises to win four or more titles.

The Cavs, though, aren't ready to fold just yet.

"We can't live on history, but we have dug ourselves a big hole, and we know that," James said. "We have to come out and try to win four straight."