Heat take a victory lap

MIAMI, June 25 (UPI) -- The Heat paraded through downtown Miami Monday in celebration of their NBA championship.

LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and their teammates, friends and family members rode in double-decker buses to a jam-packed American Airlines Arena where they were cheered heartily by their fans.

Heat staff members were carried to the celebration by flatbed trucks.

"People from the outside, they criticized this group, this team. They didn't support this team, they counted this team out, but they never estimated how close this group was as a family," Coach Erik Spoelstra said. "And every single one of these players had to sacrifice something, either money, opportunity, minutes, to be a part of this dream and it was all for a moment like this."

The Heat won the franchise's second title by defeating the Oklahoma City Thunder in five games last week.

James, who was the finals' MVP, described winning a championship as "the best feeling I've ever had."

"This was my dream right here, to be able to hoist the Larry O'Brien trophy up, hug it, grab it, never want to let it go," he said.