Miami Heat Back to Back NBA Champions

21 Jun, 2013

LeBron James will always remember his first championship. History will remember this one.

The way the Heat won – or the way James wouldn’t let them lose – makes them one of the greats.

A Game 6 comeback when it appeared to be over, then a stirring Game 7 victory over a proud opponent cemented a place with the NBA’s giants for this Miami team and its leader.

“Last year when I was sitting up here with my first championship, I said it was the toughest thing I had ever done,” James said. “This year, I’ll tell last year he’s absolutely wrong. This was the toughest championship right here between the two.”

And the San Antonio Spurs will always know it’s a title they let slip away.

James scored 37 points and grabbed 12 rebounds in a 95-88 victory Thursday night in a tense game that was tight until Miami pulled away in the final minute.

Capping their best season in franchise history – and perhaps the three-superstar system they used to build it – the Heat ran off with the second straight thriller in the NBA’s first championship series to go the distance since 2010.

Duncan had 24 points and 12 rebounds for the Spurs, but missed a shot and follow attempt right under the basket with about 50 seconds left and the Spurs trailing by two.

James followed with a jumper – the shot the Spurs were daring him to take earlier in the series – to make it 92-88, sending San Antonio to a timeout as Glenn Frey’s “The Heat Is On” blared over the arena’s sound system.

He then came up with a steal and made two free throws for a six-point lead, and after Ginobili missed, James stalked toward the sideline, knowing it was over and that he was, once again, the last one standing.

Wade had 23 points and 10 rebounds for the Heat, who overcame a scoreless Chris Bosh by getting six 3-pointers and 18 points from Battier.

“It was a great series and we all felt that,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. “I don’t know if `enjoy’ is the right word, but in all honesty, even in defeat, I’m starting to enjoy what our group accomplished already, when you look back. And you need to do that, to put it in perspective. So it’s no fun to lose, but we lost to a better team.

“And you can live with that as long as you’ve given your best, and I think we have.”

Kawhi Leonard had 19 points and 16 rebounds for the Spurs, who had been 4 for 4 in the championship round. Ginobili had 18 points but Parker managed just 10 points on 3-of-12 shooting.

James avenged his first finals loss, when his Cleveland Cavaliers were swept by the Spurs on 2007. That helped send James on his way to South Florida, realizing it would take more help to win titles that could never come alone.

Meanwhile, it’s a potential dynasty along Biscayne Bay, but also one with a potentially small window. Wade’s latest knee problems are a reminder that though he came into the NBA at the same time as James and Bosh 10 years ago, he’s a couple of years older at 31 with wheels that have seen some miles.

“This team is amazing,” James said. “And the vision that I had when I decided to come here is all coming true.”

AP

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