Miami Heat: How the NBA championship was won - in pictures
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This is how the NBA 2012 Finals were billed: Miami Heat vs. Oklahoma City Thunder, LeBron James vs. Kevin Durant
Photograph: Jim Young/Reuters
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American Idol's Jessica Sanchez sings the Star Spangled Banner at Game One at the Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, June 12, 2012.
Photograph: Jim Young/Reuters
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Tip-off, game one, 2012 NBA Finals
Photograph: Paul Buck/EPA
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Oklahoma City Thunder fans show what they think of LeBron James
Photograph: Jim Young/Reuters
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After having some trouble attending the Conference finals series against the San Antonio Spurs, rapper Lil' Wayne managed to get a seat for the Finals
Photograph: Larry W. Smith/EPA
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Kevin Durant takes on another of Miami's Big Three, Dwyane Wade
Photograph: LARRY W. SMITH/EPA
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Derek Fisher's not as young as he used to be, but he's still got something
Photograph: Ronald Martinez/AFP/Getty Images
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Russell Westbrook and the Oklahoma City Thunder fans celebrate
Photograph: Jim Young/Reuters
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Shane Battier is less impressed by Russell Westbrook
Photograph: Jeff Roberson/AP
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Photograph: Sue Ogrocki/AP
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The off-the-court fashion wars were to become a feature of the series, particularly Russell Westbrook's glasses...
Photograph: Sue Ogrocki/AP
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Already LeBron James is facing those questions again. Here during a media conference ahead of Game Two
Photograph: Larry W. Smith/EPA
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Game Two in OKC and the Miami Heat storm back: here Chris Bosh dunks over Oklahoma City Thunder's Derek Fisher and James Harden
Photograph: Pool/Reuters
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Bosh dunks
Photograph: Larry W. Smith/AFP/Getty Images
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Proving it's not just about Miami's Big Three, Norris Cole and Shane Battier play their part
Photograph: Robyn Beck/AFP/Getty
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A controversial late call helps Miami Heat to a 100-96 victory in Game Two. Thunder's Kevin Durant is not impressed
Photograph: Jim Young/AFP/Getty
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Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant looking smart, but the series is now tied 1-1
Photograph: Sue Ogrocki/AP
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Dwyane Wade has glasses too
Photograph: Robyn Beck/AFP/Getty Images
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Game Three and the Finals head to the American Airlines Arena in Miami where LeBron is given a great deal more respect by the fans holding up big cutout heads
Photograph: Rhona Wise/EPA
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Dwyane Wade is really getting into the Finals for the Heat, Thunder's James Harden not so much...
Photograph: Mike Ehrmann/AFP/Getty Images
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Beyond the stars, Shane Battier has stepped up for the Heat, but Oklahoma City Thunder's Serge Ibaka is struggling
Photograph: David Santiago/AP
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The Game Three difference may well have been the freethrow performance. Here LeBron James asks for quiet at a key moment at the line
Photograph: Larry W. Smith/EPA
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Heat are now playing as a team: here a touching moment from LeBron and Udonis Haslem
Photograph: Don Emmert/AFP/Getty
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Photograph: Mike Segar/Reuters
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Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra looks a lot happier
Photograph: Wilfredo Lee/AP
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Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Scott Brooks not so much
Photograph: Wilfredo Lee/AP
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Game Four in Miami and an epic performance from Russell Westbrook pits him against...
Photograph: Mark Halmas/Icon SMI/ Mark Halmas/Icon SMI/Corbis
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...Dwyane Wade...
Photograph: David Santiago/AP
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...Russell Westbrook against...
Photograph: Bill Ingram/ZUMA Press/Corbis
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...Udonis Haslem...
Photograph: Pool/Reuters
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...Russell Westbrook against...
Photograph: Larry W. Smith/EPA
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...the Miami Dancers
Photograph: Mark Halmas/Icon SMI/Corbis
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...and the Heat Golden Oldies
Photograph: Rhona Wise/EPA
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But even a late injury to LeBron James...
Photograph: Mike Segar/Reuters
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...can't stop the Heat winning 104-98
Photograph: Lynne Sladky/AP
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Westbrook scored 43 points but Kevin Durant was the only other OKC player to reach double figures and the series is 3-1 to Miami and it's a long way back for the Thunder
Photograph: Gary Coronado/ Gary Coronado/ZUMA Press/Corbis
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Maybe this glasses thing has gone too far
Photograph: Lynne Sladky/AP
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A Game Four loss and Russell Westbrook's glasses may be just too much for Kevin Durant
Photograph: Lynne Sladky/AP
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Game Five and it's make or break time for OKC. But LeBron James starts as he means to go on...with big dunks
Photograph: Mike Segar/AP
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LeBron, deadly from the free throw line too, and Kevin Durant already seems to know that this might not be his night...or his year
Photograph: Mike Ehrmann/Getty
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Even Mike Miller got in on the act for Miami, with seven 3-pointers
Photograph: Ronald Martinez/Getty
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LeBron James and Dwyane Wade know that the Championship is theirs
Photograph: Lynne Sladky/AP
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Chris Bosh celebrates as Miami win Game 5 121-106 to win the series 4-1
Photograph: MIKE SEGAR/Reuters
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Veteran Derek Fisher offers consolation to Durant. KD35 should be back in the NBA Finals some time in the not-too-distant future. But this may have been Fisher's last time
Photograph: Lynne Sladky/AP
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Dwyane Wade holds the Larry O'Brien NBA Championship Trophy aloft
Photograph: Lynne Sladky/AP
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LeBron James celebrates claiming that elusive NBA championship at last - and the MVP trophy too
Photograph: Lynne Sladky/AP
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And the third member of the Heat's Big Three is pretty happy too
Photograph: Lynne Sladky/AP
