Miami –Best player in the game. Best team in the league.
LeBron James has found it all since taking his new era caps talents to South Beach two summers ago.
Add NBA champion to the list. “Happiest day of my life,” he said.
James had 26 points, 11 rebounds and 13 assists, leading the Heat in a 121-106 rout of the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday night to win the NBA Finals in five games.
Nobody messed up Dwyane Wade’s name. Nobody talked about winning not five, not six, not seven championships before winning even one.
The Miami Heat thought it proved everything last week when it won the NBA snapback new era hats championship. it was wrong. Monday, the Heat proved one final thing: that it finally has this celebration thing down pat.
TIP: You can use your keyboard’s left and right arrow keys to navigate through the gallery
With thousands lining Biscayne Boulevard and thousands more swaying inside AmericanAirlines Arena, the Heat celebrated the second championship in franchise history with style Monday.
First came a confetti-littered parade through downtown Miami. Tropical Storm Debby canceled her thunderstorms to allow the open-topped, double-decker buses to pass unscathed, although, this being South Florida in June, you could say it was hot. White hot.
The parade was followed by a celebration lasting slightly more than an hour inside the AAA, where four days prior, the Heat clinched the title against Oklahoma City.
Overall, the morning/afternoon was relatively tame by Heat standards, devoid of the type of singular moments that marked the two previous major bashes in franchise history.
The 2006 title celebration was remembered for Miami-Dade County Commissioner Barbara Jordan referring to Wade, MVP of those Finals, as “Wade Jones” and for Heat owner Micky Arison imploring the fans to “stay white” rather than to stay dressed in white.
Two seasons ago, the celebration was to hail the arrival of LeBron James and Chris Bosh, drawing criticism from outside for the oft-played clip of James cheap new era fitted hats predicting nearly enough rings to fill both hands.
This time, following days of partying, the players presented fans a team that seemed as relieved as it was joyful. Not afraid to poke fun at itself. Reflective.
“It feels right,” Bosh said, scanning an arena dominated by season-ticket holders, many wearing championship caps and t-shirts. “This is how it’s supposed to be and I would like to do it all the time.”
That line drew cheers, of course, as did most everything. Mike Miller, he of the aching back and seven three-pointers in the clinching game, thanked Heat President Pat Riley “for not putting me behind a barn and putting me to sleep.”
Riley, who like Arison donned the nerd glasses popularized by James and Wade, was then brought front and center by Wade, who presented him with a white designer watch. Wade thanked Riley for drafting him fifth in 2003 when he thought he’d be selected much later. Poignantly, Wade reflected on how he repaid that faith two seasons ago by re-signing with Miami rather than returning to Chicago, where his family still lives.
“My family’s in Miami,” Wade told the crowd. “I thank you for making me family, treating me like family. It means so much to me.”
All that was left was a celebration nine years in the making.”It means everything,” James said moments after the win, moments before being named the Finals MVP to go along with his regular-season award. “I made a difficult decision to leave Cleveland but I understood what my future was about … I knew we had a bright future cheap new era hats (in Miami). This is a dream come true for me. This is definitely when it pays off.”
James left the game along with Dwyane Wadeand Chris Bosh for good with 3:01 remaining for a round of hugs and the start of a celebration he’s been waiting for since arriving in the NBA out of high school as the No. 1 pick of the 2003 draft. James hopped up and down in the final minutes, shared a long hug with opponent Kevin Durant, and then smiled as he watched the confetti rain down from the rafters.
LeBron James has found it all since taking his new era caps talents to South Beach two summers ago.
Add NBA champion to the list. “Happiest day of my life,” he said.
James had 26 points, 11 rebounds and 13 assists, leading the Heat in a 121-106 rout of the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday night to win the NBA Finals in five games.
Miami Heat fans, players celebrate championship
Nobody messed up Dwyane Wade’s name. Nobody talked about winning not five, not six, not seven championships before winning even one.
The Miami Heat thought it proved everything last week when it won the NBA snapback new era hats championship. it was wrong. Monday, the Heat proved one final thing: that it finally has this celebration thing down pat.
TIP: You can use your keyboard’s left and right arrow keys to navigate through the gallery
With thousands lining Biscayne Boulevard and thousands more swaying inside AmericanAirlines Arena, the Heat celebrated the second championship in franchise history with style Monday.
First came a confetti-littered parade through downtown Miami. Tropical Storm Debby canceled her thunderstorms to allow the open-topped, double-decker buses to pass unscathed, although, this being South Florida in June, you could say it was hot. White hot.
The parade was followed by a celebration lasting slightly more than an hour inside the AAA, where four days prior, the Heat clinched the title against Oklahoma City.
Overall, the morning/afternoon was relatively tame by Heat standards, devoid of the type of singular moments that marked the two previous major bashes in franchise history.
The 2006 title celebration was remembered for Miami-Dade County Commissioner Barbara Jordan referring to Wade, MVP of those Finals, as “Wade Jones” and for Heat owner Micky Arison imploring the fans to “stay white” rather than to stay dressed in white.
Two seasons ago, the celebration was to hail the arrival of LeBron James and Chris Bosh, drawing criticism from outside for the oft-played clip of James cheap new era fitted hats predicting nearly enough rings to fill both hands.
This time, following days of partying, the players presented fans a team that seemed as relieved as it was joyful. Not afraid to poke fun at itself. Reflective.
“It feels right,” Bosh said, scanning an arena dominated by season-ticket holders, many wearing championship caps and t-shirts. “This is how it’s supposed to be and I would like to do it all the time.”
That line drew cheers, of course, as did most everything. Mike Miller, he of the aching back and seven three-pointers in the clinching game, thanked Heat President Pat Riley “for not putting me behind a barn and putting me to sleep.”
Riley, who like Arison donned the nerd glasses popularized by James and Wade, was then brought front and center by Wade, who presented him with a white designer watch. Wade thanked Riley for drafting him fifth in 2003 when he thought he’d be selected much later. Poignantly, Wade reflected on how he repaid that faith two seasons ago by re-signing with Miami rather than returning to Chicago, where his family still lives.
“My family’s in Miami,” Wade told the crowd. “I thank you for making me family, treating me like family. It means so much to me.”
All that was left was a celebration nine years in the making.”It means everything,” James said moments after the win, moments before being named the Finals MVP to go along with his regular-season award. “I made a difficult decision to leave Cleveland but I understood what my future was about … I knew we had a bright future cheap new era hats (in Miami). This is a dream come true for me. This is definitely when it pays off.”
James left the game along with Dwyane Wadeand Chris Bosh for good with 3:01 remaining for a round of hugs and the start of a celebration he’s been waiting for since arriving in the NBA out of high school as the No. 1 pick of the 2003 draft. James hopped up and down in the final minutes, shared a long hug with opponent Kevin Durant, and then smiled as he watched the confetti rain down from the rafters.
