<P> James officially became a member of the Heat on July 10, 2010 . With the move, he became only the third reigning MVP to change teams and the first since Moses Malone in 1982 . That evening, the Heat threw a welcome party for their new "big three" at the American Airlines Arena, an event that took on a rock concert atmosphere . During the gathering, James predicted a dynasty for the Heat and alluded to multiple championships . Outside of Miami, the spectacle was not well - received, furthering the negative public perception of James . </P> <P> Throughout the 2010--11 season, James embraced the villain role that was bestowed upon him by the media, playing with an angry demeanor and less joy than in years past; he later admitted that he regretted this approach . On December 2, he faced the Cavaliers in Cleveland for the first time since departing as a free agent, scoring 38 points and leading Miami to a win while being booed every time he touched the ball . He finished the season with averages of 26.7 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 7 assists per game on 51 percent shooting . Entering the playoffs as the East's second seed, Miami advanced to the Finals before stumbling against the Dallas Mavericks, losing in six games despite holding a 2--1 series lead going into Game 4 . James received the brunt of the criticism for the loss, averaging only three points in fourth quarters in the series . His Finals scoring average of 17.8 points per game signified an 8.9 - point drop from the regular season, the largest point drop - off in league history . </P> <P> Humbled by the Heat's loss to the Mavericks, James spent the offseason working with Hakeem Olajuwon on his post game . His work with Olajuwon paid off, fueling what Grantland's Kirk Goldsberry called "one of the greatest and most important transformations in recent sports history". Behind James' more post-oriented play, Miami matched their best start to a season in franchise history, and at the conclusion of the lockout - shortened 2011--12 season, he was named MVP for the third time, finishing with averages of 27.1 points, 7.9 rebounds, 6.2 assists, and 1.9 steals per game on 53 percent shooting . </P> <P> In Game 4 of the second round of the playoffs, James registered 40 points, 18 rebounds, and 9 assists to help even the series against the Indiana Pacers . Miami eventually defeated the Pacers in six games . Facing elimination in Game 6 of the Conference Finals against the Celtics, James scored 45 points to lead the Heat to victory in what The New York Times called a "career - defining performance". Miami won Game 7 to advance to the Finals, earning them a matchup with the Oklahoma City Thunder . Late in Game 4 of the series, James hit a three - pointer to give the Heat a lead, helping them win the game despite missing time with leg cramps . In Game 5, he registered a triple - double as Miami defeated Oklahoma City for their second - ever championship and James' first championship . James was unanimously voted the Bill Russell NBA Finals Most Valuable Player with averages of 28.6 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 7.4 assists per game . His full postseason run, in which he averaged 30.3 points, 9.7 rebounds and 5.6 assists per game, was later ranked the second best in modern NBA history by ESPN . </P>

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