Miami Heat: A Championship Decision

Miami Heat (Photo credit: Keith Allison)

When LeBron James made his nationally-televised decision to take his talents to South Beach, the city of Cleveland erupted in anger because he abandoned not only the Cavaliers, but his native state of Ohio so he could win a championship in sunny Florida.  He joined the Miami Heat along with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh to form a potential superteam that would dominate the NBA for years to come.  It hasn't worked out that way.  Until now.

The Heat won their second NBA championship in franchise history Thursday night with a 121-106 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder, winning the Finals in five games.  James, who was unanimously chosen as the Bill Russell Finals MVP, scored 26 points, and had 11 rebounds with 13 assists.

LeBron, to be sure, had plenty of help from Wade, Bosh, and the other members of his supporting cast:  Mario Chalmers, Mike Miller and Shane Battier.  But it was James who worked the hardest to give the Heat its title.  In the tradition of Willis Reed playing hurt while leading the New York Knicks to the 1970 NBA title, and Michael Jordan leading his Chicago Bulls past the Utah Jazz even though he was sicker than the dog, James tried his best to play late in Game 4 with leg cramps before being taken out.

The Thunder, who used to be the Seattle Supersonics, blew through the Western conference with its lineup of twenty-something players such as Kevin Durant and Russell Westerbrook.  In Game 5, Durant was the leading scorer for the Thunder with 32 points, 11 rebounds and three assists.  This team is seen by everyone outside Miami as the antidote to the Heat, not to mention as future champions.

These Finals had the distinction of (A) having color-coordianted crowds, with a sea of white t-shirts inside Miami's arena and blue and white t-shirts inside Oklahoma City's arena.  Individualists need not apply.  (B) Both teams not only have nicknames depicting weather phenomena, but they also happen to have the letter 's' missing at the end.  (C) Pat Riley, now in the Heat front office, winning another title.

Basketball fans will never forgive, nor forget, the way LeBron James handled his departure from the one city in America that has nothing but its sports teams to hang its hat on, to a city that has everything going for it, including sunshine and a definite lack of smokestacks.  But for today, don't call him a villian.  Call him a champion.