THE MIAMI HEAT ARE YOUR NBA CHAMPIONS; THE “BIG THREE” GETS A NEW MEANING

THE MIAMI HEAT ARE YOUR NBA CHAMPIONS; THE “BIG THREE” GETS A NEW MEANING

THE MIAMI HEAT ARE YOUR NBA CHAMPIONS; THE “BIG THREE” GETS A NEW MEANING

This is when we knew. Not when Mike Miller (23 points, 7-of-8 threes) was pouring threes in like a South Florida tropical storm. Not when LeBron James hung in the air for impossibly tough buckets, twice. Not when Derek Fisher‘s “flagrant” foul turned the tide finally in Miami’s favor. We knew this game had become Miami’s when LeBron gave Mario Chalmers (10 points, seven assists) a staredown during an incredible third-quarter stretch, up 25 points, to tell him Not now. Hold it in, and finish. That’s when we knew this wasn’t the Miami team that took the stage and made a foolhardy pitch for seven titles without earning a thing. LeBron’s face — another comical yell at Chalmers this series — told us they, but mostly LeBron, had shed the ways that made everyone hate them. Because Game 5, a 121-106 win, was only about basketball and an awe-inspiring game at that. OKC/Heat/Celtics/whoever fan, this was an eye-opening display. It was also a buzzsaw of a path to a 4-1 NBA Finals series win for the Miami Heat. Say what you will but LeBron (26 points, 11 rebounds, 13 rebounds) is a champion and he carried Miami with him to the trophy by finishing with his first triple double of the entire season. … Two early fouls on Dwyane Wade (20 points, eight rebounds) and you were thinking, uh oh, but he stayed in the game — by being moved onto James Harden (19 points, most in garbage time). That’s how un-Harden-like The Beard played in this series. After three single-digit scoring nights in the first four games he’d become the safe harbor for a guy with foul trouble. Wade mirrored the two early fouls on Thabo Sefolosha (0 points, a nonfactor in 9 minutes), but there were fewer spots to hide him on defense than Wade. … Serge Ibaka (nine points, four rebounds) must have watched Tuesday’s film and taken everything on it personally. He came out blocking two shots and getting involved on offense. He had to stay inside more in the first quarter as the last line of defense when Chris Bosh(24 points, seven boards) ran past Kendrick Perkins damn near twice in a row in the first for a dunk and a tough layup. Ibaka struggled once Miami hit its threes and stretched the court. This wasn’t the team that was driving at will in Games 3 and 4. In turn, Ibaka couldn’t find a position that put him in good position. … When Mike Miller checked in with a couple minutes to go in the first and hit his first four threes he looked like Teddy Dupay was feeding him the rock and it was 1998. WhenNorris Cole came in and lit up OKC from deep with a triple, his new haircut looked like an anvil. Together they made everyone think along the same lines: If Miami’s role guys are hitting those shots, start the coronation. … Jeff Van Gundy‘s thoughts on Kevin Durant‘s huge baseline throwdown on Udonis Haslem: “That reminded me of Tracy McGrady on Shawn Bradley.” … How about that head-only flop from Harden on an elbow by LeBron? His neck was more like a hinge by the look of it. LeBron, though, got it back by spinning past him going right and then hanging for 1..2..3 in the air over Ibaka for the double-clutch bucket. … Miami gave “Big Three” a whole new meaning all night, first with Miller and Cole, then with Chalmers thrown in with Battier. The count was an NBA Finals-record 14-of-26 from distance. Chalmers in particular hit a backbreaking three to OKC in the third quarter, giving them an eight-point lead when OKC could have cut it to three in its own transition. And that was just the star...

Everything went right in the third quarter for Miami. That’s not hyperbole. Scott Brooks would tell you so himself. We’re not sure we’ve seen quite a sequence like that all season, from the corner threes by Chris Bosh (why not? 25 points, seven boards) to the blocks by LeBron and Wade on the other end. Bosh was even throwing down finger guns. Even if those OKC buckets had gone, they were too far gone. Kevin Durant‘s 32 points and 11 boards were huge numbers but didn’t matter past halfway through the third. That’s a testament to the Heat’s dominance. The blocks turned it into a sound chamber especially when they were followed by Wade’s and-one and ANOTHER Miller three. There was a person in the crowd shot waving a “Sweden 4 the Heat” sign like crazy after those. Meanwhile, Harden couldn’t make a layup and then Russell Westbrook (19 points) and Harden followed with desperation threes. And there was still a minute to go in the third, with a 25-point lead. You could seeJuwan Howard primed to break off those tearaways for some action late in the game. … It’s a milestone win for Howard though, becoming the first of the Fab Five to win an NBA championship. Shane Battier, too, becomes the second Duke player under Coach K to win an NBA title. Miller’s aging joints get theirs and we’re not going to be surprised if retires tomorrow. And you know what? Let’s give it up to watching a ridiculously good Thunder team get even better. More than anything, this game is too good to keep blasting a player as good as LeBron is when he’s won his first title at the same age as MJ with his first. Seeing him dancing on the sideline with Bob McAdoo was special (of course, same was watching Durant cry on his mother’s shoulder in the tunnel. Crushing) “The Decision”? Terrible. But he’s matured himself the last season and this was his crowning. Let’s talk about something else now — namely and unlike last season — that there’s a guaranteed season right around the corner. … The NBA had its first-ever Social Media Awards and Jeremy Lin took home the Epic Award for his game against LA in February when he dropped 38 and made everyone’s head spin on Twitter. The fans’ favorite plays of the year went to Blake Griffin, and Kobe Bryant earned #Trendsetter, for the most mentions. The dunk that went most viral? Gerald Green‘s head-at-the-rim job. We won’t disagree with that at all. … Who’s got the top-selling jerseyoutside the U.S.? Why it’s Kobe again on top. D-Rose followed him with LeBron,Garnett and Dwight Howard rounding out the top five. … We’re out like the Heat.