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{{Short description|2012 basketball championship series}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2024}}
{{NBA Finals summary
| image = 2012 NBA Finals Logo.jpg
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The '''2012 NBA Finals''' was the [[NBA Finals|championship series]] of the [[National Basketball Association]]'s (NBA) [[2011–12 NBA season|2011–12 season]], and the conclusion of [[2012 NBA Playoffs|the season's playoffs]], contested between the [[Eastern Conference (NBA)|Eastern Conference]] champion [[2011–12 Miami Heat season|Miami Heat]] defeated the [[Western Conference (NBA)|Western Conference]] champion [[2011–12 Oklahoma City Thunder season|Oklahoma City Thunder]]. It was played from June 12 to 21, 2012.
Led by
==Background==
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===Miami Heat===
{{see also|2011–12 Miami Heat season}}
This was the second consecutive appearance for the Heat, after losing to the [[Dallas Mavericks]] in {{nbafy|2011}}. This was also their second Finals appearance in the "[[Big Three (Miami Heat)|Big Three]]" era, being led by superstar LeBron James, [[shooting guard]] [[Dwyane Wade]], and [[Power forward (basketball)|power forward]] [[Chris Bosh]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Whitley|first=David|title=Miami Heat's second-straight NBA Finals appearance not enough to remove doubt around LeBron James|url=http://aol.sportingnews.com/nba/story/2012-06-10/miami-heat-nba-finals-lebron-james-dwyane-wade-okc-thunder-celtics|work=Sporting News|access-date=June 21, 2012|date=June 10, 2012}}</ref> Their other Finals appearance was in {{nbafy|2006}}, when they defeated the Mavericks to win their first NBA title.<ref>{{cite web|title=Pat Riley: The Miami Years|url=
In the regular season, the Heat finished with 46 wins, earning the second seed in the Eastern Conference. In the first round, they defeated the [[New York Knicks]]
The
===Oklahoma City Thunder===
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This was the Thunder's first NBA Finals appearance since the team [[Seattle SuperSonics relocation to Oklahoma City|relocated]] from Seattle to Oklahoma City in 2008. Including their seasons as the Seattle SuperSonics, this was also the club's fourth Finals appearance, and first since {{nbafy|1996}}, when they lost to the [[Michael Jordan]]-led [[1995–96 Chicago Bulls season|Chicago Bulls]]. The team was seeking their first NBA championship since {{nbafy|1979}}.<ref name="Yahoo"/>
The Thunder finished with 47 wins, placing them as the second seed in the Western Conference. During the playoffs, they defeated the last three Western Conference Finalists in sequential order. First, they dethroned the [[2011 NBA Finals|defending champion]] [[Dallas Mavericks]] in a
The Thunder entered the Finals as the second-youngest finalists in NBA history.<ref>{{cite web|last=Sherman|first=Mike|title=NBA Finals: Thunder has overcome much, but it must now overcome doubt|url=http://newsok.com/article/3685491|work=The Oklahoman|access-date=June 21, 2012|date=June 18, 2012}}</ref> In addition, [[Daequan Cook]] faced the team that traded him to the Thunder in 2010.
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| bg=#fff
| date = March 25, 2012
| team1 = [[Miami Heat]] |score1= 87
| team2 = '''[[Oklahoma City Thunder]]''' |score2= '''103'''
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{{basketballbox
| date = April 4, 2012
| team1 = [[Oklahoma City Thunder]] |score1= 93
| team2 = '''[[Miami Heat]]''' |score2= '''98'''
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* No. 9 Derrick Stafford
}}
The Thunder defeated the Heat, 105–94, in Game 1. Miami held the lead for most of the first three quarters, including a 13-point lead at one point during the second quarter. The Heat made five three-pointers to jump to a 29–22 lead by the end of the first quarter, but Oklahoma City kept on pace with Miami to keep the score at 54–47 by halftime. The Thunder then took the lead for good with 16 seconds left in the third quarter after [[Russell Westbrook]] made a free throw to make it 74–73. [[Kevin Durant]] led Oklahoma City with 36 points, while Westbrook had 27. [[LeBron James]] led the Heat with 30 points, but was held to one basket during the first eight minutes of the fourth quarter.<ref name="Game1">{{cite web | url=http://scores.espn.go.com/nba/recap?gameId=320612025 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120613043533/http://scores.espn.go.com/nba/recap?gameId=320612025 | url-status=dead | archive-date=June 13, 2012 | title=Kevin Durant, Thunder pull away from Heat, win Game 1 |agency=Associated Press | publisher=ESPN | date=June 12, 2012 | access-date=June 12, 2012}}</ref>
===Game 2===
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}}
The Heat defeated the Thunder
===Game 3===
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}}
Miami won Game 3,
===Game 4===
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}}
Miami won Game 4, 104–98, to go up three games to one in the series. The Thunder jumped to a 33–19 lead by the end the first quarter, but the Heat rallied to cut the score to 49–46 at halftime, thanks to two huge three-pointers by Heat rookie [[Norris Cole (basketball)|Norris Cole]]. The two teams remained neck-and-neck throughout most of the third quarter, with Miami holding a 4-point lead at the start of fourth period. However, for the final 16 minutes of the game, [[Russell Westbrook]] (who led the Thunder with 43 points) and [[Kevin Durant]] (who had 28 points) were the only two Oklahoma City players able to score. With the other Thunder players struggling to make their shots, Miami was able to pull away in the end, largely thanks to late-game heroics from [[LeBron James]], [[Mario Chalmers]] and [[Dwyane Wade]]. LeBron James led the Heat with 26 points, including the go ahead three pointer, but had to sit out during the final two minutes of the game due to leg cramps.<ref name="Game4">{{cite web | url=http://scores.espn.go.com/nba/recap?gameId=320619014 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120622040630/http://scores.espn.go.com/nba/recap?gameId=320619014 | url-status=dead | archive-date=June 22, 2012 | title=Heat overcome Russell Westbrook's 43 points, take 3–1 Finals lead |agency=Associated Press | publisher=ESPN | date=June 19, 2012 | access-date=June 19, 2012}}</ref> Mario Chalmers scored 25 points and made two key plays to seal Miami's win: a driving layup around a well-positioned [[Serge Ibaka]] and two free throws after a rare mistake by Westbrook (he fouled Chalmers after the point guard recovered Shane Battier's tip on a jump ball with less than 1 minute left, thinking that the shot clock would reset, while NBA rules do not reset at that point in a 4th quarter if the team that previously had the ball re-gains possession off the tip).
===Game 5===
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}}
Miami won Game 5, 121–106, to win the series, four games to one.<ref name="ESPN Game 5">{{cite web|title=LeBron James, Heat dominate Thunder to win NBA championship|url=http://scores.espn.go.com/nba/recap?gameId=320621014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120622051101/http://scores.espn.go.com/nba/recap?gameId=320621014|url-status=dead|archive-date=June 22, 2012|access-date=June 22, 2012|author=ESPN}}</ref> After keeping it a close game in the first half, the Thunder were outscored 36–22 in the third quarter, with Miami leading as much as 27 at one point. Miami was fueled by strong performances by their "Big Three" of LeBron James, [[Dwyane Wade]], and [[Chris Bosh]], as well as by [[Mike Miller (basketball player)|Mike Miller]], who was 7 for 8 for three-pointers, ending the night with 23 points. Miller only entered the game because Wade encountered foul trouble in the first half, with Coach Erik Spoelstra telling the variously-injured veteran the Heat just needed him to hold the fort until the 2nd quarter began; when Miller hit two three-pointers, Spoelstra asked him if he could keep playing and Miller said yes, leading to 23 minutes on the court that were critical in blowing the game open for Miami. The team tied an NBA Finals record for most 3-pointers in a game with 14.<ref name="ESPN Game 5"/> With three minutes remaining in the game, both teams took their starters out of the game, with the Heat still leading by more than 20 points. With their Game 5 win, the Heat won their second NBA championship in team history, and the first for several Heat players, including James, who was named the [[Bill Russell NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award|NBA Finals MVP]] after averaging 28.6 points, 10.2 rebounds and 7.4 assists in the finals, capping it all off with his first triple double of the season in the final game.<ref name="ESPN Game 5" /> For the Thunder, [[Kevin Durant]] had 32 points, and 11 rebounds; [[Russell Westbrook]] had 19 points and 6 assists; and [[James Harden]] led the bench with 19 points, 5 assists, and 4 rebounds. This was James Harden’s final game with the Thunder. He was traded to the Rockets during the offseason. <ref name="ESPN Game 5" />
==Rosters==
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{{player2 | num = 40 | first = Udonis | last = Haslem | pos = F/C | ft = 6 | in = 8 | lbs = 235 | college = Florida | DOB = 1980–06–09 }}
{{player2 | num = 5 | first = Juwan | last = Howard | pos = F | ft = 6 | in = 9 | lbs = 250 | college = Michigan | DOB = 1973–02–07 }}
{{player2 | num = 6 | first = LeBron | last = James | pos = F | ft = 6 | in = 8 | lbs = 250 | school = [[St. Vincent–St. Mary High School|St. Vincent–St. Mary HS (OH)]] | DOB = 1984–12–30
{{player2 | num = 22 | first = James | last = Jones | dab = basketball player | pos = F | ft = 6 | in = 8 | lbs = 215 | college = University of Miami | DOB = 1980–10–04 }}
{{player2 | num = 13 | first = Mike | last = Miller | dab = basketball player | pos = F | ft = 6 | in = 8 | lbs = 218 | college = Florida | DOB = 1980–02–19 }}
{{player2 | num = 45 | first = Dexter | last = Pittman | pos = C | ft = 6 | in = 11 | lbs = 285 | college = Texas | DOB = 1988–03–02 }}
{{player2 | num = 21 | first = Ronny | last = Turiaf | pos = F/C | ft = 6 | in = 10 | lbs = 246 | college = Gonzaga | DOB = 1983–01–13 }}
{{player2 | num = 3 | first = Dwyane | last = Wade | pos = G | ft = 6 | in = 4 | lbs = 220 | college = Marquette | DOB = 1982–01–17
<!-- end list of players -->
{{NBA roster footer
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{{player2 | num = 4 | first = Nick | last = Collison | pos = F/C | ft = 6 | in = 10 | lbs = 255 | college = Kansas | note = | DOB = 1980–10–26 }}
{{player2 | num = 14 | first = Daequan | last = Cook | pos = G | ft = 6 | in = 5 | lbs = 210 | college = Ohio State | DOB = 1987–04–28 }}
{{player2 | num = 35 | first = Kevin | last = Durant | pos = G/F | ft = 6 | in = 9 | lbs = 230 | college = Texas
{{player2 | num = 37 | first = Derek | last = Fisher | pos = G | ft = 6 | in = 1 | lbs = 210 | college = Arkansas-Little Rock | DOB = 1974–08–09 }}
{{player2 | num = 13 | first = James | last = Harden
{{player2 | num = 11 | first = Lazar | last = Hayward | pos = F | ft = 6 | in = 6 | lbs = 225 | college = Marquette | DOB = 1986–11–26 }}
{{player2 | num = 9 | first = Serge | last = Ibaka | pos = F | ft = 6 | in = 10 | lbs = 235 | from = Republic of the Congo | DOB = 1989–09–18 }}
{{player2 | num = 7 | first = Royal | last = Ivey | pos = G | ft = 6 | in = 4 | lbs = 215 | college = Texas | note = | DOB = 1981–12–20 }}
{{player2 | num = 15 | first = Reggie | last = Jackson | dab = basketball, born 1990 | pos = G | ft = 6 | in = 3 | lbs = 208 | college = Boston College | DOB = 1990–04–16}}
{{player2 | num = 6 | first = Eric | last = Maynor | pos = G | ft = 6 | in = 3 | lbs = 175 | college = Virginia Commonwealth | DOB = 1987–06–11
{{player2 | num = 8 | first = Nazr | last = Mohammed | pos = C | ft = 6 | in = 10 | lbs = 250 | college = Kentucky | DOB = 1977–09–05 }}
{{player2 | num = 5 | first = Kendrick | last = Perkins | pos = C | ft = 6 | in = 10 | lbs = 267 | school = [[Clifton J. Ozen High School|Clifton J. Ozen HS (TX)]] | DOB = 1984–11–10 }}
{{player2 | num = 2 | first = Thabo | last = Sefolosha | pos = G/F | ft = 6 | in = 7 | lbs = 215 | from = Switzerland | DOB = 1984–05–02 }}
{{player2 | num = 0 | first = Russell | last = Westbrook | pos = G | ft = 6 | in = 3 | lbs = 187 | college = UCLA
<!-- end player list -->
{{NBA roster footer
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==Broadcast==
In the United States, the NBA Finals aired on ABC and [[Mike Breen]] and [[Jeff Van Gundy]] served as commentators. Local ABC stations for the competing teams were [[WPLG]] (Miami) and [[KOCO-TV]] (Oklahoma City). ESPN Radio aired it as well and had [[Jim Durham]], [[Jack Ramsey]] and [[Hubie Brown]] as commentators.<ref>{{cite web|last=Kondolojy|first=Amanda|title=NBA Finals Tip Off Tuesday on ABC & ESPN Radio|url=http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2012/06/10/nba-finals-tip-off-tuesday-on-abc-espn-radio/137421/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120614013610/http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2012/06/10/nba-finals-tip-off-tuesday-on-abc-espn-radio/137421/|url-status=dead|archive-date=June 14, 2012|publisher=TVbytheNumbers|access-date=June 22, 2012|date=June 10, 2012}}</ref>
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==External links==
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20151201083727/http://www.nba.com/playoffs/2012/finals/ Official website] of the 2012 NBA Finals
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20120610223311/http://espn.go.com/nba/playoffs/2012/matchup/_/teams/thunder-heat 2012 NBA Finals] at [[ESPN]]
*[https://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/NBA_2012.html 2012 NBA Finals] at Basketball-Reference.com
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[[Category:2011–12 NBA season|Finals]]
[[Category:2012 in sports in Florida|NBA Finals]]
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[[Category:2010s in Miami]]
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[[Category:June 2012 sports events in the United States]]
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