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| Dates | June 6–20 | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MVP | LeBron James (Miami Heat) | |||||||||
| Hall of Famers | Heat: Ray Allen (2018) Chris Bosh (2021) Dwyane Wade (2023) Spurs: Tim Duncan (2020) Manu Ginóbili (2022) Tracy McGrady (2017) Tony Parker (2023) Coaches: Gregg Popovich (2023) | |||||||||
| Eastern finals | Heat defeated Pacers, 4–3 | |||||||||
| Western finals | Spurs defeated Grizzlies, 4–0 | |||||||||
The 2013 NBA Finals was the championship series of the National Basketball Association's (NBA) 2012–13 season and conclusion of the season's playoffs, played from June 6 to 20, 2013.[1][2][3] The defending NBA champion and Eastern Conference champion Miami Heat, who were favored to win the series,[4][5][6] defeated the Western Conference champion San Antonio Spurs in seven games to win their third championship.
The Miami Heat's league-best regular season record of 66–16 gave them home-court advantage against the San Antonio Spurs, who finished the regular season 58–24.[7] The San Antonio Spurs won the opening game on the road and eventually took a 3–2 series lead before the Miami Heat won the remaining two games at home to win their second consecutive NBA title, handing the Spurs their only Finals loss in franchise history. LeBron James, who was named the season MVP, was also named Finals MVP for the second straight year. The Heat's late rally in Games 6 and 7, which also included Ray Allen's clutch 3-pointer in Game 6 to force overtime, has made it one of the greatest Finals of all time.[8]
As of 2024, this is the last time the NBA regular season MVP won NBA Finals MVP. Four former NBA Finals MVPs played in the series (the Spurs' Tim Duncan and Tony Parker, and the Heat's Dwyane Wade and LeBron James), the most since 1987.[9] The 2013 Finals also set a record for most international players on either Finals roster (10).[10] This also marks the last NBA Finals series to use the 2–3–2 format, which was introduced in 1985, with the format changed to 2–2–1–1–1 starting in 2014.[11]
- ^ "National Basketball Association Important Dates". NBA.com. Retrieved May 17, 2012.
- ^ "NBA Conference finals, Finals schedule". ESPN. May 13, 2013. Retrieved June 4, 2013.
- ^ "NBA Finals: Heat against Spurs". ESPN. June 5, 2013. Retrieved June 6, 2013.
- ^ David Hill (June 5, 2013). "Vegas Favors Miami Heat Over San Antonio Spurs in NBA Finals". NBC Miami. Retrieved May 27, 2021.
- ^ Ben Golliver (June 4, 2013). "Oddsmaker heavily favors Heat over Spurs in 2013 Finals". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved May 27, 2021.
- ^ Chris Yuscavage (June 5, 2013). "The Heat Are Big Favorites to Beat the Spurs in the 2013 NBA Finals". Complex. Retrieved May 27, 2021.
- ^ Highkin, Sean (June 5, 2013). "2013 NBA Finals preview, schedule: Miami Heat vs. San Antonio Spurs". USA Today. Retrieved June 6, 2013.
- ^ Hughes, Grant. "Ranking the 15 Greatest Series in NBA Finals History". BleacherReport. Retrieved April 16, 2023.
- ^ "Spurs-Heat Preview". ESPN.com. Associated Press. June 6, 2013. Archived from the original on June 9, 2013.
- ^ Highkin, Sean (June 6, 2013). "NBA Finals boast record international presence". USA Today. Retrieved June 9, 2013.
- ^ "NBA owners change Finals format to 2–2–1–1–1". NBA.com. Associated Press. October 23, 2013. Archived from the original on May 15, 2014. Retrieved February 16, 2014.