LeBron James won his first NBA championship on 21 June 2012, closing out the Finals with the Miami Heat. He was named Finals MVP after a series in which he answered years of doubt.
A triple-double seals a 4-1 series in Miami
In Game 5 at American Airlines Arena, the Heat beat the Oklahoma City Thunder 121-106 to take the series 4-1. James finished with a triple-double: 26 points, 11 rebounds and 13 assists.
The game turned in the third quarter. Miami trailed for a moment, then two three-pointers from Chalmers and Battier sparked a 27-7 run that pushed the lead to 88-63. The Heat made 14 three-pointers, tying a Finals record.
James left the floor with about three minutes to play, sharing a long hug with Kevin Durant, who scored 32 points in the loss. Recovered from the leg cramps that had ended his Game 4, he was again dominant. The arena filled with "MVP" chants.
The reward after Cleveland, Boston and a hard road
The title came in his ninth season, after the "Decision" that took him from Cleveland to Miami. The road was harder than expected; facing elimination against Boston, he scored 45 points to force a Game 7 the Heat then won at home. This first crown began a run of four championships and four Finals MVP awards.
Later titles in Cleveland and with the Lakers made him Finals MVP with three franchises, on the way to becoming the league's all-time leading scorer.
Afterward, James told reporters, "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. I didn't shortcut anything." The wait was over, and everything that followed grew from this night in Miami.
