Miami, FL – LeBron James wasn't the only star on the floor at American Airlines Arena, but he was the biggest.
Take it from the other team's best player.
"I'm not one for giving guys credit during the series, but it's over," said Kevin Durant. "That guy is an incredible player."
James had 26 points, 13 assists and 11 rebounds for a triple-double Thursday night and won the NBA Finals MVP after his Miami Heat routed the Oklahoma City Thunder, 121-106, in Game 5.
The Finals MVP trophy, named for Bill Russell, was just icing on the cake for James, who finally captured his first NBA title after nine seasons in the league.
"It's about damn time," he said.
James averaged 28.6 points against the Thunder after averaging 33.6 in the conference finals against Boston. He also hit the Finals' biggest shot -- a go-ahead 3 in Game 4 despite battling leg cramps so bad he needed to be helped off the court.
"This right here is the happiest day of my life. And I wouldn't want to spend it with anyone else in the world but my teammates and these fans," said James. "This is a dream come true."
James won the Finals MVP a little more than a month after capturing his third regular season MVP award. He was just the eighth player in history to win three -- and the only one at the time without a championship.
That changed, finally, on Thursday.
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