Leading 3-1 in the best of seven series to determine the 2012 National Basketball Association (NBA) champion, the Miami Heat made sure to close out their last home game of the season in style, thwarting the Oklahoma City Thunder 121-106 on June 21 to claim the franchise’s second crown. In convincing fashion, forward LeBron James’ performance (26 points, 13 assists, 11 rebounds, two blocks) fueled an inspired Miami club that combined to nail 14 three-pointers, shooting 53 percent from downtown along the way to help James win his first title in an illustrious nine-year career. The Heat placed six players in double figures and received a huge boost from reserve Mike Miller who shot 7-of-8 from three-point range.
“It’s about damn time,” James said in the post celebration when asked what his immediate reaction was after the clock winded down to zero. “It’s about damn time.”
After heading into the NBA Finals series as underdogs against the younger Thunder, Miami closed out the series with four straight victories and became the second team since the 2006 Heat to win all three home games in a Finals series using a 2-3-2 format. Thunder small forward Kevin Durant led all scorers with 32 points and hauled in 11 rebounds but even the league’s three-time scoring champion was powerless as Miami stretched the lead to nearly 30 points late in the second half. Guards James Harden and Russell Westbrook added 19 points apiece for Oklahoma City and the three watched on the sidelines during the waning seconds as a raucous American Airlines Arena celebrated wildly with the Heat players jumping and smiling on the sidelines.
“I’m happy now that eight years later, nine years later since I’ve been drafted, that I can finally say that I’m a champion, and I did it the right way,” James told reporters on live television. “I didn’t shortcut anything. You know, I put a lot of hard work and dedication in it, and hard work pays off. It’s a great moment for myself.”
