The San Antonio Spurs are just one win away from claiming their third NBA Championship in the past five seasons after disposing of the Cleveland Cavaliers 75-72.

Tony Parker led the Spurs with 17 points, Tim Duncan contributed 14 points and nine rebounds, while Bruce Bowen shot 13 points and pulled down nine boards.

LeBron James led the Cavaliers with 25 points, Drew Gooden and Sasha Pavlovic netted 13 points apiece, while big man Zydrunas Ilgauskas was a tower of strength with 12 points and 18 rebounds.

After the Spurs comfortably won the opening two games of the series at home, the Cavaliers were expected to come out strongly at home in game three.

Pavlovic netted five early points to give the Cavaliers an early lead, but Duncan and Bowen combined for 14 points in the opening term, as the Cavaliers took an 18-16 lead into quarter time.

The Cavaliers continued their ascendancy in the second quarter, jumping out to a 38-30 lead with a little under three minutes remaining, but the Spurs scored the final 10 points of the term to take a 40-38 lead into the major break.

The third quarter was a tight struggle with both defences well on top, but the Spurs maintained a 55-50 lead at three-quarter-time.

A three pointer from Brent Barry and a jump shot from Duncan gave the Spurs a 60-50 lead early in the final quarter, but James and Gooden sparked a comeback from the Cavs.

James scored seven straight points, before Pavlovic answered a Parker three pointer, with a long bomb of his own to cut the Spurs lead to two with 48 seconds remaining.

Anderson Varejao blocked Parker's lay-up attempt at the other end to give Cleveland a chance to win it, but the Cavaliers backup centre missed the chance to level the scores.

After Manu Ginobili hit one free throw for the Spurs to stretch their lead to three, James had a chance to force overtime on the buzzer.

However, despite the Cavaliers superstar claiming he was fouled, James' three point attempt rimmed out allowing the Spurs to take a 3-0 series lead in the best of seven series.

Game four of the series will be held in Cleveland on Friday morning (AEST).