MIAMI, June 22, (RTRS): LeBron James led an outstanding team effort as the Miami Heat demolished the Oklahoma City Thunder 121-106 to claim the NBA title on Thursday, the new champions reeling off four straight wins to take the series 4-1.
James enjoyed a brilliant all-round game, posting a triple-double with 26 points, 11 rebounds and a game-high 13 assists and was named most valuable player (MVP) of the series as he finally won an NBA crown in his third trip to the finals.
As the clock ran down, James joined in with the deafening celebrations in the AmericanAirlines Arena from the sidelines, jumping and waving as he roared along with the fans with a beaming smile as the seconds ticked away.
“This means everything,” he said after handing off the golden NBA Championship trophy to accept the MVP award from Boston Celtics great Bill Russell as confetti rained down from the rafters. “This is the happiest day of my life.”

The 27-year-old James was dominant throughout the series but in the Game Five clincher, he had help from all his cohorts.
Six Heat players scored in double figures, including Chris Bosh with 24 and reserve Mike Miller with 23, who went 7-of-8 from beyond the three-point arc in a spectacular display of shooting for the Heat.
Miami’s confidence soared as the game went on, as they made a sizzling 14-of-26 three-pointers to tie the record for most long-range baskets in an NBA Finals game.
The Heat led 31-26 after the first quarter, extended the lead to 10 by halftime and then used a blitz of 16 points in a row in the third quarter to open up a massive 25-point lead that sent the rowdy, standing-room only crowd into early delirium.

Three-times NBA scoring champion Kevin Durant led the young Thunder team with 32 points with Russell Westbrook and James Harden adding 19 points apiece for the losers.
James, three-times league MVP, gave Durant a long embrace as the buzzer sounded to end the game and the series. “I’d like to congratulate the Miami Heat,” Thunder coach Scott Brooks said. “They did a fantastic job. We ran into a team that was tough to beat tonight.”
It was Miami’s second NBA title following a 2006 triumph and erased the bitter taste of a six-game defeat by the Dallas Mavericks in last year’s Finals. James averaged 28.6 points, 10.2 rebounds and 7.4 assists in the series for Cleveland, who were swept in four games in 2007 by the San Antonio Spurs, and then lost in six to the Dallas Mavericks last season.
“Losing the finals last year put me back in place, it humbled me a lot,” said James, before succumbing to the excitement. “It’s about damn time!”

Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said coming back to win the title this year was gratifying.
“We remember last year, we wanted to make up for last year,” the coach said. “We had confidence in what we could do.”
Dwyane Wade, who was MVP of the championship series in 2006 when the Heat won their first NBA title, said: “We had so much pain, so much pain, so much embarrassment from last season.
“Nothing had to be said. We were on a mission and that mission was not completed until tonight.”
The Thunder, the second youngest team by average age to compete in an NBA Finals, had battled the Heat through to the finish of each of the first four games but were overwhelmed in the end by the determined home team.
“It hurts. It hurts, man,” said the 23-year-old Durant. “It just hurts to go out like this. We made it to the Finals, which was cool for us, but we didn’t want to just make it there.”
Oklahoma City coach Scott Brooks said he was proud of his team.
“I just told the guys, we didn’t win a championship this year, but they gave it a championship effort all season long. It’s something I’m proud of. I love our guys.”

List of NBA Champions/MVP Winners
2012 Miami Heat
2011 Dallas Mavericks
2010 Los Angeles Lakers
2009 Los Angeles Lakers
2008 Boston Celtics
2007 San Antonio Spurs
2006 Miami Heat
2005 San Antonio Spurs
2004 Detroit Pistons
2003 San Antonio Spurs
2002 Los Angeles Lakers
2001 Los Angeles Lakers
2000 Los Angeles Lakers
1999 San Antonio Spurs
1998 Chicago Bulls
1997 Chicago Bulls
1996 Chicago Bulls
1995 Houston Rockets
1994 Houston Rockets
1993 Chicago Bulls
1992 Chicago Bulls
1991 Chicago Bulls
1990 Detroit Pistons
1989 Detroit Pistons
1988 Los Angeles Lakers
1987 Los Angeles Lakers
1986 Boston Celtics
1985 Los Angeles Lakers
1984 Boston Celtics
1983 Philadelphia 76ers
1982 Los Angeles Lakers
1981 Boston Celtics
1980 Los Angeles Lakers
1979 Seattle SuperSonics
1978 Washington Bullets
1977 Portland Trail Blazers
1976 Boston Celtics
1975 Golden State Warriors
1974 Boston Celtics
1973 New York Knicks
1972 Los Angeles Lakers
1971 Milwaukee Bucks
1970 New York Knicks
1969 Boston Celtics
1968 Boston Celtics
1967 Philadelphia 76ers
1966 Boston Celtics
1965 Boston Celtics
1964 Boston Celtics
1963 Boston Celtics
1962 Boston Celtics
1961 Boston Celtics
1960 Boston Celtics
1959 Boston Celtics
1958 St. Louis Hawks
1957 Boston Celtics
1956 Philadelphia Warriors
1955 Syracuse Nationals
1954 Minneapolis Lakers
1953 Minneapolis Lakers
1952 Minneapolis Lakers
1951 Rochester Royals
1950 Minneapolis Lakers
Finals
MVP winners
2012 LeBron James, Miami Heat
2011 Dirk Nowitzki , Mavericks
2010 Kobe Bryant, Lakers
2009 Kobe Bryant, Lakers
2008 Paul Pierce, Boston Celtics
2007 Tony Parker, Spurs
2006 Dwyane Wade, Miami Heat
2005 Tim Duncan, Spurs
2004 Chauncey Billups, Pistons
2003 Tim Duncan, Spurs
2002 Shaquille O’Neal, Lakers
2001 Shaquille O’Neal, Lakers
2000 Shaquille O’Neal,Lakers
1999 Tim Duncan, Spurs
1998 Michael Jordan, Chicago
1997 Michael Jordan, Chicago
1996 Michael Jordan, Chicago
1995 Hakeem Olajuwon, Houston
1994 Hakeem Olajuwon, Houston
1993 Michael Jordan, Chicago
1992 Michael Jordan, Chicago
1991 Michael Jordan, Chicago
1990 Isiah Thomas, Pistons
1989 Joe Dumars, Detroit Pistons
1988 James Worthy, Lakers
1987 Magic Johnson, Lakers
1986 Larry Bird, Boston Celtics
1985 Abdul-Jabbar, Lakers
1984 Larry Bird, Boston Celtics
1983 Moses Malone, Phil 76ers
1982 Magic Johnson, Lakers
1981 Cedric Maxwell, Boston
1980 Magic Johnson, Lakers
1979 Dennis Johnson, Seattle 1978 Wes Unseld, Washington
1977 Bill Walton, Portland
1976 Jo Jo White, Boston
1975 Rick Barry, Golden State
1974 John Havlicek, Boston
1973 Willis Reed, NY Knicks
1972 Wilt Chamberlain, Lakers
1971 Abdul-Jabbar, Milwaukee
1970 Willis Reed, NYKnicks
1969 Jerry West, Lakers