MIAMI — LeBron James danced the last few precious seconds away, soaking up the moment and waiting to take a confetti shower. The one-time child prodigy, with a smile you could see from Cleveland, was a kid once more.
And finally a King.
“It’s about damn time,” James said when it was over. “It’s about damn time.”
A few weeks shy of the two-year anniversary of his infamous made-for-television special, “The Decision,” James delivered on his promise to bring an NBA championship to Miami.
Only time will tell if he ever lives up to “five, six, seven” titles he once predicted, but at least James and the Miami Heat have something to build on.
Title No. 1 for James was clinched on Thursday night as the Miami Heat overpowered the upstart Oklahoma City Thunder, 121-106, in Game 5 of the NBA Finals. James, who uttered the phrase, “I’m going to take my talents to South Beach” when he announced he was leaving the Cleveland Cavaliers after seven seasons to sign with Miami, punctuated his first championship by recording a triple-double.
“This right here is the happiest day of my life,” James said from the podium after embracing his mother, Gloria. “It’s a dream come true.”
The world’s best all-around player also pulled off a rare double by being named NBA Finals MVP in the same year when he was MVP of the regular season.
It was a fitting encore to the “LBJ Redemption Tour,” which started when he admitted that he should have handled his exit from his home state of Ohio with more class. James also publicly acknowledged that he failed miserably as the Heat lost the NBA Finals to the Dallas Mavericks in six games last season.
“I was a selfish player,” James said. “I was a selfish person.”
The hurt from that performance served as motivation for James to return this season as a better, more mature player. He was dominant during Miami’s playoff run, which began with victories over the Knicks, Pacers and Celtics.
Overall, he scored 30 or more points in 13 of 23 playoff games, including two games against the Thunder. He was averaging 29 points in four Finals games, but with the Heat in control for a majority of Game 5, James didn’t need his A-game. And yet, he still ended the season with 26 points, 13 assists and 11 rebounds.
When Erik Spoelstra cleared his bench with 3:01 to play, James hugged veteran teammate Juwan Howard before raising his right index finger to the crowd. He was then mobbed by his teammates and coaches when he got to the bench.
Chris Bosh, who left the Toronto Raptors as a free agent two summers ago to join James and Dwyane Wade, added 24 points while Wade scored 20.
“This is why we came here,” Bosh said.
“We came here to win a championship.”
The Heat also got a huge performance from Mike Miller in what could have been his final game. The veteran shooting guard is suffering from a serious back injury and he may be forced to retire.
If so, Miller, a class act, went out in grand style. He scored 23 points and made 7-of-8 three-point shots. Point guard Mario Chalmers, the hero of Game 4, added 10 points and Shane Battier had 11.
It was a disappointing finish for Oklahoma City, which reached the Finals by beating three quality opponents: the Mavs, Lakers and Spurs. But after Game 1 of the Finals, the Thunder lost four straight and at times played like a young team in its first Finals. Oklahoma City had only one three-game losing streak during the regular season.
LeBron James - aka 'King James' - is finally on top of the NBA.
Kevin Durant finished with 32 points, and Russell Westbrook 19 for the Thunder. Sixth Man of the Year James Harden, who struggled throughout the series, scored 19 points, reaching double figures for the second time in the five games. The Thunder trailed over the final 42 minutes while Miami went up by 27 in the fourth quarter.
Through it all, Heat president Pat Riley sat emotionless for much of the night in his customary seat across from the Miami bench. Riley’s decision to resign as Knicks coach following the 1994-95 season has paid off handsomely for the Heat. Miami has its second title in six years, which gives the franchise as many trophies as the Knicks, who began play in 1946-47 and last won in 1973. The Miami Heat entered the league in 1988-89.
“I hope to see OKC again,” Riley said from the podium. “I think we will.”
James and the Heat may just be getting started. At 27, James is in the prime of his career and after losing in two previous Finals appearances, he appears to be more comfortable in this setting. James’ teams went 2-9 in his first 11 NBA Finals games. He has now won four straight and the throne is his.
It’s good to be the King.
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