San Antonio Spurs' Tim Duncan celebrates with the trophy after his team defeated the Utah Jazz during Game Five of their NBA Western Conference final play-off basketball series in San Antonio on Wednesday night. The Spurs won the series 4-1 and advanced to the NBA finals. - Reuters

NEW YORK (Reuters):

THE SAN Antonio Spurs advanced to the NBA finals with a crushing 109-84 victory over the Utah Jazz on Wednesday night.

Tim Duncan and Tony Parker each scored 21 points, helping the Spurs clinch the Western Conference series 4-1 and book a place in the NBA finals for the third time in five seasons.

The Spurs will play either the Detroit Pistons or the Cleveland Cavaliers in the finals, which start on June 7 in San Antonio. The Pistons and Cavaliers are tied 2-2 in the Eastern Conference finals.

Healthy year

"It's great," Duncan told reporters.

"Last year we had a tough finish. To come back this year, to put the team back together, to have a healthy year myself and to go through three really, really good teams. It's great to get back here," he said.

San Antonio were leading Utah 16-11 in the first period when they embarked on a streak that set the tone for the game.

Parker scored seven consecutive points to push the advantage to 23-11 and Duncan dunked on an alley oop. Bruce Bowen connected on a three-pointer before Parker drove for another basket and in less than three minutes the Spurs had a 19-point lead.

"Tonight we played great, everybody from the starting five, from the bench, everybody made shots," Parker said.

"I think we won that game in the first quarter, and we kept the lead the whole game."

The Spurs, who have defeated the Jazz 19 consecutive times in San Antonio, led 34-15 after the first quarter and 55-39 at the half. That advantage grew to 83-56 going into the fourth.

Leading scorers

Andrei Kirilenko led the Jazz with 13 points. Deron Williams, who played with a sprained left foot, and Matt Harpring had 11 each. Carlos Boozer was held to nine points and 12 rebounds.

Guard Derek Fisher missed the first half while returning from New York where is daughter is undergoing treatment for an eye condition. He was 0-3 from the floor.

The finals will be the Spurs' fourth appearance in nine seasons.

They won the NBA title in 1999, 2003 and 2005, but lost in the second round of the 2004 playoffs and the Western Conference semi-finals in 2006.

They have seven days to prepare for another tilt at the crown.