In what will go down as one of the craziest NBA Finals series maybe of all-time, the Miami Heat have won their third NBA championship in a Game 7 that saw Chris Bosh and Ray Allen score as many points as Tracy McGrady and myself. A Game 7 that had Tim Duncan put up another huge effort (24 and 12) and a game 7 that saw Tha Kang tell the world how he felt by quoting French Montana and Future.
LeBron James now has his second title, joining Bill Russell and Michael Jordan as the only players in NBA history to win back-to-back regular-season MVPs and NBA titles in the process. LeBron joined MJ, Shaquille O’Neal, Kobe Bryant, and Hakeem Olajuwon as players who won back-to-back NBA Finals MVPs (O’Neal and Jordan won three straight, with Jordan doing so twice). LeBron's now 3-2 in Game 7's (won 3 with the Heat, lost to with Cavs) and with his 37 points he tied the record for most points in a Game 7 NBA Finals win, equaling Tommy Heinsohn of the Celtics in 1957.
All the praise in the world should go to the San Antonio Spurs. Tim Duncan gave it literally all he had. Kawhi Leonard showed the world that you can still rock braids and be a breakout star in the NBA. Tony Parker now understands what being guarded by LeBron James feels like. Manu Ginobili is still Manu Ginobili. Danny Green came back to Earth. Tracy McGrady was just a couple of seconds away from his first NBA championship.
However, this ain't about the Spurs. This is about the Heat. From "I Ain't Got No Worries" to "We Ain't Worried About Nothin'" we know what the soundtrack will be in South Beach for the next few days, and the only thing that's left to be said is, all hail the Miami Heat, your 3-time NBA world champions.
Eddie Maisonet is the founder and editor emeritus of The Sports Fan Journal. Currently, he serves as an associate editor for ESPN.com. He is an unabashed Russell Westbrook and Barry Switzer apologist, owns over 100 fitteds and snapbacks, and lives by Reggie Jackson’s famous quote, “I am the straw that stirs the drink.”
