2012 NBA Championship
LeBron James wins his first championship as the Heat defeat the Thunder in five games.
The 2012 NBA Finals was the championship series of the National Basketball Association's (NBA) 2011–12 season, and the conclusion of the season's playoffs. In this best-of-seven series, the Eastern Conference champion Miami Heat defeated the Western Conference champion Oklahoma City Thunder in five games, winning their second championship in franchise history. The Heat's LeBron James, who was named the NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the season, was voted the NBA Finals MVP, after averaging 28.6 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 7.4 assists.
Quick Facts
- Head coach
- Erik Spoelstra
- Finals mvp
- LeBron James
- Series result
- 4-1 vs Oklahoma City Thunder
- Regular season record
- 46-20
- Key roster members
- Dwyane Wade
- Chris Bosh
- Mario Chalmers
- Shane Battier
Lore & Background
This was the second consecutive appearance for the Heat, after losing to the Dallas Mavericks in 2011. This was also their second Finals appearance in the 'Big Three' era, being led by superstar LeBron James, shooting guard Dwyane Wade, and power forward Chris Bosh. Their other Finals appearance was in 2006, when they defeated the Mavericks to win their first NBA title. In the regular season, the Heat finished with 46 wins, earning the second seed in the Eastern Conference.
In the first round, they defeated the New York Knicks 4–1. In the Conference semifinals, they defeated the Indiana Pacers 4–2 despite trailing 2–1 and losing Chris Bosh to injury. Then, the Heat survived a grueling Eastern Conference finals against the Boston Celtics, winning 4–3 despite trailing 3–2. The Heat's comeback vs the Celtics was extremely notable thanks to LeBron James’ epic 45 point performance in Game 6, allowing the Heat to win Game 7 at home and advance to the Finals.
Reader's Guide
The series started on June 12, and concluded on June 21. Game 1: Thunder defeated Heat 105–94. Game 2: Heat defeated Thunder 100–96. Game 3: Heat won 91–85. Game 4: Heat won 104–98. Game 5: Heat won 121–106 to win the series.
Did You Know?
- The Heat became the first team since the 1994–95 Houston Rockets to overcome multiple series deficits en route to the finals.
- Mike Miller was 7 for 8 on three-pointers in Game 5, scoring 23 points.
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