June 22, 2012

The Miami Heat won the 2011-2012 National Basketball Association (NBA) championship last night by defeating the Oklahoma City Thunder 4 games to 1, though lots of basketball fans were unhappy about the result. In just two years, the Heat had become the most hated team in the NBA, perceived as arrogant and smug after the team signed stars LeBron James and Chris Bosh to join Dwyane Wade on the roster. At an extravagant coming-out party in the summer of 2010 to announce the signings of Bosh and James, LeBron predicted a Heat dynasty with multiple championships: “Not two, not three, not four, not five, not six, not seven.”

Le Bron James (© Aaron Josefczyk, Reuters/Landov)

Many people considered Oklahoma City talented enough to defeat Miami. Led by the high-scoring duo of Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, the Thunder had swept through the first three rounds of the Western Conference play-offs, defeating defending champion Dallas Mavericks and then the Los Angeles Lakers and the San Antonio Spurs, losing only three games along the way. Miami defeated the Indiana Pacers, the Philadelphia 76ers, and the Boston Celtics, with Boston forcing Miami into a seventh and final game for the Eastern Conference championship.

Oklahoma City defeated Miami in the opening game of the finals but lost the next three, all competitive contests that were not decided until the final minute. There was no suspense in the fifth game. Miami led by as many as 27 points before winning 121-106. James dominated the play-offs as he had dominated the regular season and was named the Most Valuable Player for the finals. LeBron’s prediction of more than seven NBA championships may not come true, but nobody could take away his first title.