2011–12 Miami Heat season | |
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NBA Champions
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Conference Champions
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Division Champions
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Second NBA Championship LeBron James' first NBA championship Dwyane Wade's second NBA Championship |
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Head coach | Erik Spoelstra |
General manager | Pat Riley |
Owner(s) | Micky Arison |
Arena | American Airlines Arena |
Results | |
Record | 46–20 (.697) |
Place |
Division: 1st (Southeast) Conference: 2nd (Eastern) |
Playoff finish |
NBA Champions (Defeated Thunder 4–1) |
Stats @ Basketball-Reference.com |
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Local media | |
Television | Sun Sports |
Radio | 790 The Ticket |
The 2011–12 Miami Heat season is the franchise's 24th season in the National Basketball Association (NBA). They came into the season as the defending Eastern Conference champions, the second season playing with the "Big Three" of Dwyane Wade, LeBron James, and Chris Bosh, and the fourth season under head coach Erik Spoelstra. Prior to the beginning of the season, they looked to bounce back from their disappointing finish to the previous year where they lost to the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA Finals. Following the 2011 NBA lockout the Heat played only 66 games this season. They won their division for the 9th time and appeared in the Eastern Conference Finals for the 5th time. For the second year in a row, Dwyane Wade, LeBron James, and Chris Bosh were all selected to the NBA All-Star Game, tying the record for the most Heat players in an All-Star game in franchise history.
On June 9, 2012, the Heat beat the Boston Celtics to advance to the NBA Finals for the second consecutive year and 3rd time in franchise history. On June 21, the Miami Heat won the NBA Championship at home against the Oklahoma City Thunder, 4–1, following their 121–106 Game 5 victory to become the 2012 NBA Champions, the 2nd Championship for the franchise. LeBron James was awarded the 2012 NBA Finals MVP.
When the Heat made it all the way to the finals in Dwyane Wade, LeBron James, and Chris Bosh's first year playing together, they were seen as heavy favorites from the Eastern Conference to return in 2012. The team's original starting lineup was:
C – Joel Anthony
PF – Chris Bosh
SF – LeBron James
SG – Dwyane Wade
PG – Mario Chalmers