2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
During the 2011 season, NASCAR announced the Sprint Cup Series would be changing to fuel injection from carburetors, which had been used since NASCAR's founding in 1949. Sprint Nextel announced at the 2011 Awards Ceremony that they had extended their sponsorship of the series until 2016. Roger Penske won the Owners' Championship, while Brad Keselowski won the Drivers' Championship at the final race of the season. Chevrolet won the Manufacturers' Championship with 249 points.


2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
Keselowski became the first Dodge driver to win the championship since Richard Petty in 1975; he was also the last Dodge driver to do so, as 2012 was the manufacturer's final year in the Cup series. It was the first time since 2004 that the championship was won by someone other than Tony Stewart or Jimmie Johnson. Despite starting his season late, Stephen Leicht was the 2012 NASCAR Rookie of the Year after beating Josh Wise.


2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
2012 was the final season that the fifth-generation cars (also known as the Car of Tomorrow)–which debuted in the 2007 season–were used in competition; as the new Generation 6 cars were introduced for the 2013 season.


2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, Teams and drivers, Complete schedule
The No. 33 changed owners in April. Joe Falk acquired the assets and ownership and was listed as owner after Martinsville; however Childress still fielded the car in races which Austin Dillon competed in.


2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, Changes, Technology
On January 21, 2011, NASCAR announced that the Sprint Cup Series would change to electronic fuel injection from carburetors, which had been used since 1949, for the 2012 season. During the 2010 off-season, NASCAR had discussed doing the change during the 2011 season; however, in the January 21 announcements, Robin Pemberton stated, "We don't anticipate any points races this year, or races  with fuel injection. It'll be a year dedicated to finetuning and getting the process down, whether it be inspection or the team side of it, with building engines. That's going along quite well." Afterward, John Darby, NASCAR's managing director of competition, said he hoped to debut the electronic fuel injection engine at least in the second race of the 2012 season.


2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, Changes, Communication
After the 2011 season ended, NASCAR decided to ban communication between the driver and spotter to other drivers. The change was initially made to break up two-car racing at restrictor plate tracks, which had received criticism from spectators, but was later announced that it would be banned at all the races.


2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, Schedule
On September 28, 2011, the final calendar was released containing 36 races, with the addition of two exhibition races. The schedule also includes two Gatorade Duels, which are the qualifying races for the Daytona 500.


2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, Schedule, Calendar changes
For the 2012 season, NASCAR made a few changes to the schedule. One of which moved the first race of the season, the Daytona 500, a week later. Along with the delay of the Daytona 500, the races at Phoenix International Raceway and Las Vegas Motor Speedway were moved a week later. Third, Kansas Speedway's first race of the season was moved from June to April, while its second race became the sixth race of the Chase for the Sprint Cup, after switching race dates with Talladega Superspeedway's Good Sam Roadside Assistance 500.


2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, Schedule, Calendar changes
Along with schedule changes, race lengths at Pocono Raceway changed from 500 miles to 400 miles in both races. A couple more changes occurred in the regular season because Dover International Speedway's first race followed the Coca-Cola 600, as well as switching the race dates of the Aaron's 499 and Richmond International Raceway's first event. Also, Kentucky Speedway's race was before the Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway.


2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, Pre-season
Pre -season testing began on January 12, 2012 with NASCAR Preseason Thunder at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. The tests lasted three days, with each having a morning and afternoon session. In the morning session on the first day, Jeff Gordon was quickest ahead of Paul Menard and Kurt Busch with a time of 46.687 seconds. The afternoon test session featured limited tandem drafting, and Kyle Busch and six other cars broke the 200 MPH mark.


2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, Pre-season
Defending champion Tony Stewart stated his excitement for returning to Daytona, "Our sport is unique obviously having our biggest race the first race of the year, but it's very fitting at the same time because this race, we have more time during the offseason to prepare for this race than we do the others. You bring cars here that you have the extra time to just make them that little bit nicer than you normally have time to do."


2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, Pre-season
On the second day, Martin Truex Jr. was quickest in the morning session after posting a time of 43.962 seconds, while Kurt Busch was quickest in the afternoon with a time of 43.677. The final day of testing was led by Jeff Gordon who topped the charts. The final day focused on neutralizing the controversial two-car draft. The third day of testing focused on drafting, and Vice President of Competition Robin Pemberton was pleased with the progress drivers and teams had made.


2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, Pre-season
"The way the cars run in the draft, the way they can draft and do draft and what they do to get their cars running to their maximum potential. So far, we like what we've seen. It's been a good mix of what they can do in a larger pack and how close they can get for a limited time to push."


2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, Season summary
The season began with the annual Budweiser Shootout. Multiple cautions stemming from tight pack racing whittled down the field to only a few cars. On the last lap, Kyle Busch used a slingshot move to pass defending champion Tony Stewart to win his first Shootout. In the Duels, defending champion Tony Stewart held off the field for his third Duel victory, while Roush Fenway Racing teammates Matt Kenseth and Greg Biffle dominated the second duel, with Kenseth prevailing.


2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, Season summary
In the season opening Daytona 500, persistent showers on February 26 forced the race to be postponed to Monday for the first time in its 53-year history. Starting at night, the race would take its most dramatic turn when Juan Pablo Montoya, attempting to catch up with the field under caution, had a part failure on his car, which veered up the racetrack into a jet dryer, sparking a brief fire that forced a 2-hour red flag, causing the race to run into Tuesday (another first). After the flag was lifted, Kenseth held off teammate Biffle and Dale Earnhardt Jr. on a green-white-checkered finish to win his second Daytona 500 and capture Jack Roush's 300th victory in NASCAR.


2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, Season summary
The next week in Phoenix, Kevin Harvick dominated the race, but Denny Hamlin grabbed the lead late, and held off Harvick for his first win of 2012. The next week in Las Vegas, Tony Stewart dominated the race once again and held off Jimmie Johnson on a late restart to grab his first win of 2012 and his first at Las Vegas. The first short track race was at Bristol, and Brad Keselowski dominated the race, leading 232 laps and rolling to his first win of the season.


2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, Season summary
The following weekend in California, Kyle Busch led for 80 laps, but Tony Stewart stayed on track when the rain came on lap 124, and was declared the winner when the race was called on lap 129. The next race at Martinsville, Jeff Gordon dominated the race, leading 329 laps. However, a late crash caused by Clint Bowyer and Jimmie Johnson set up a green-white-checkered finish, enabling Ryan Newman to take the lead and hold of A. J. Allmendinger for the win.


2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, Season summary
After an off-week, the teams returned to action at Texas. There, Greg Biffle held off Jimmie Johnson and grabbed his first win in 49 races. The next week at Kansas, Denny Hamlin held off a dominant Martin Truex Jr. to take his second win of 2012 under Darian Grubb. At Richmond, Carl Edwards dominated the race before a black flag on the restart knocked him out of contention. Tony Stewart held the point, but got caught up by a faulty final stop.


2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, Season summary
Kyle Busch then inherited the lead to take his first win of 2012 and his fourth consecutive spring Richmond win. The series traveled to Talladega for its second superspeedway race of the year. After a flurry of late race cautions took out a number of contenders, Brad Keselowski, with help from Kyle Busch, drove past Daytona 500 winner Matt Kenseth and Greg Biffle to take his second win of 2012.


2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, Season summary
At the Southern 500, Jimmie Johnson dominated the field, but stayed on track during the final round of pit stops on the advice of Chad Knaus and held off Denny Hamlin for his first win of 2012 and Rick Hendrick's 200th victory. At the Sprint All-Star Race, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and A. J. Allmendinger raced into the main event via finishing 1–2 in the Sprint Showdown, while veteran Bobby Labonte won the fan vote to transfer in. A slow restart after the fourth segment by Matt Kenseth allowed Jimmie Johnson to cruise to his third All-Star win. The following was NASCAR's longest race, the Coke 600. Greg Biffle once again had the dominant intermediate car, but Kasey Kahne drove past Denny Hamlin and teammate Dale Earnhardt Jr. on the final restart to take his first win of 2012 with Hendrick Motorsports.


2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, Season summary
The series moved to Dover, where Jimmie Johnson dominated the field and cruised to his second win of the year. At the repaved Pocono, polesitter Joey Logano pulled a bump and run on former mentor Mark Martin to score his first win since 2009. At a repaved Michigan, drivers had to contend with a new tire as well as a pre-race shower. Once the race got underway, Dale Earnhardt Jr. dominated the race, leading 95 laps en route to his first victory in 143 races.


2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, Season summary
At Sonoma, Clint Bowyer dominated the race, leading 71 laps and holding off Tony Stewart and Kurt Busch on a green-white-checkered finish to win his first race with Michael Waltrip Racing. In the series return to Kentucky, Kyle Busch dominated the early stages of the race until a broken shock took him out of contention. A late crash by Ryan Newman set up a fuel mileage race, and Brad Keselowski took the lead and preserved enough fuel for his third win of the year.


2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, Season summary
On the return trip to Daytona, the Roush duo of Matt Kenseth and Greg Biffle dominated the race. A late push from Kasey Kahne handed Tony Stewart the lead as well as his fourth Daytona victory. The next stop was Loudon, where Denny Hamlin dominated the race, leading 150 laps. However, a decision to take four tires on a final stop dropped him to 13th. Kasey Kahne held the lead on the final restart and held off a surging Hamlin for his second win of 2012.


2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, Season summary
After a week off, the Cup Series returned to action at the famed Brickyard. Denny Hamlin dominated the initial stages of the race, but lost the lead to Jimmie Johnson after a cycle of green flag pit stops on lap 30. From there, Johnson took over the lead and easily held off Kyle Busch for his 4th Brickyard victory. Moving for its return trip to Pocono, rain plagued the race all day, wreaking havoc on championship contenders.


2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, Season summary
However, Jeff Gordon moved through a late wreck to shake off the bad luck and take his first win of the year; the race was called after 98 laps due to a second rainstorm that hit the circuit after earlier rain had delayed the start. The Cup Series made its final road course stop of the season at Watkins Glen.


2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, Season summary
In a repeat of last year's race, Kyle Busch, Brad Keselowski and Marcos Ambrose dominated the day, but Busch, appearing on his way to a second win, spun in the esses with 2 laps to go, while Ambrose pulled a bump and run on Keselowski in turn 9, holding him off for the win. The drivers returned to Michigan, where polesitter Mark Martin dominated the early stages of the race until he was involved in a wreck with Kasey Kahne. Jimmie Johnson took the lead in the late stages of the race until his engine blew on lap 195, setting up a green-white-checkered finish. Greg Biffle took the lead and held off Brad Keselowski and Kasey Kahne for his second win of 2012.


2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, Season summary
Heading to a newly configured Bristol, Joey Logano dominated the early stages of the race, leading 139 laps. The lead changed hands multiple times as pit strategy dictated the nature of the race. Carl Edwards in need of a victory, stayed out after a caution involving polesitter Casey Mears. However, he dropped through the pack, handing the lead over to Denny Hamlin, who held off Jimmie Johnson for his third win of the season. At Atlanta, the battle up front was contested between Kevin Harvick and Denny Hamlin.


2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, Season summary
However, Martin Truex Jr. got out front until a late crash by Jamie McMurray brought the field down pit road, and Hamlin exiting first. Hamlin then held off Jeff Gordon on a green-white-checkered for a series high 4th win of the season. At the final regular season race at Richmond, the wild card contenders attempted to get into victory lane to make the Chase field. Denny Hamlin dominated the first half of the race, leading 202 laps. However, a caution for rain on lap 276 shuffled the running order significantly. Clint Bowyer inherited the lead on lap 312, stretching his fuel mileage and holding off Jeff Gordon for his second win of the season. Gordon, despite falling a lap down early on, rallied to leapfrog Kyle Busch for the second wild card position in the Chase.


2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, Season summary
The Chase for the Sprint Cup kicked off at Chicagoland Speedway. Polesitter Jimmie Johnson dominated the race, leading 172 laps. However, Brad Keselowski got ahead of Johnson after the final round of pit stops, enabling Keselowski to pull away and score his fourth win of the season. At Loudon, Denny Hamlin backed up a promise he made on Twitter (later stating it was overblown) to win the race, and led 193 laps despite starting 32nd to take his fifth win of the season. The following week at Dover, the JGR duo of Kyle Busch and Denny Hamlin dominated the race.


2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, Season summary
However, a lack of cautions in the race set up a fuel mileage race, forcing the duo to pit. June winner Jimmie Johnson attempted to take advantage, only to be forced to conserve fuel. Brad Keselowski inherited the point and managed to stretch his fuel to take his 5th win of the year as well as the points lead. The teams returned to Talladega, where a lack of cautions produced differing pit strategies between the teams. At the end, the race was about to come down to fuel mileage when leader Jamie McMurray spun with 6 to go. Matt Kenseth stayed out on track and stayed in front of the field when "The Big One" erupted, handing him his second win of 2012.


2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, Season summary
The Chase reached the halfway mark at Charlotte. Points leader Brad Keselowski dominated the race, looking to pad his points lead. However, Keselowski pitted one lap too late on his final stop and ran out of fuel on pit road, dashing his hopes for a win. Clint Bowyer, who pitted on lap 278, stretched his fuel mileage and held off Denny Hamlin for his third win of the season to tighten the points race. The series returned to Kansas, where a recent repave turned the race into a war of attrition.


2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, Season summary
Matt Kenseth stayed out during the final caution and ran away from the field to pick up his third win of the season. The series headed back to Martinsville, where polesitter Jimmie Johnson dominated the race, capturing his 4th win of the season. At Texas, Johnson once again dominated from pole and held off a late charge from championship contender Brad Keselowski to take his second win in a row. The penultimate race at Phoenix was dominated by Kyle Busch. However, the championship race took a significant turn when points leader Johnson crashed out of the race.


2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, Season summary
Bowyer who was third in the point standings was also knocked out of the championship contention after being intentionally wrecked by Jeff Gordon on lap 311. At the end of the race, winless Kevin Harvick would take the lead and capture his first win in 44 races. At the season finale in Homestead, the race once again came down to fuel mileage. Jimmie Johnson attempted to make the race on one less stop than his competitors, but was knocked out of contention for the win and the Championship when the drive train failed. Teammate Jeff Gordon took the point on lap 254 and used Johnson's strategy to take his first win at Homestead, while points leader Brad Keselowski finished 15th to secure his and Roger Penske's first Sprint Cup Championship.


2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, Results and standings, Drivers
(key) Bold – Pole position awarded by time. Italics – Pole position set by final practice results. * – Most laps led.


2012 NASCAR Stock V6 Series
2012 NASCAR Stock V6 Series was the support series for the 2012 NASCAR Toyota Series season, which was the fourth season of the series. Twelve races were raced, all on oval tracks.


2012 NASCAR Stock V6 Series, Report
The season began in Autódromo Potosino, where the local driver, Oscar Torres, Jr. won the race. Oscar Torres, Jr. won back-to-back the race in Querétaro. The third race in Mexico City, again saw win Oscar Torres, Jr. Torres increased his gap to 16 points ahead of Javier Campos. In Puebla the rain avoided the classification, the grid was according to the championship. The race was again dominated by Oscar Torres, Jr., who increased his lead to 22 points. However Oscar Torres, Jr. won 8 races and Javier Campos only 1, the final gap was 25 points and Oscar Torres, Jr. was declared the 2012 season champion.


2012 NASCAR Stock V6 Series, Report
Guadalajara was supposed to return after a year's absence. However, it was cancelled and replaced by El Dorado Speedway Chihuahua, which debuted in the series.


2012 NASCAR Stock V6 Series, Results, Standings
(key) Bold - Pole position awarded by time. Italics - Pole position set by final practice results or rainout. * – Most laps led. * * – All laps led.


2012 NASCAR Toyota Series
The 2012 NASCAR Toyota Series was the sixth NASCAR Series and the ninth organized by NASCAR Mexico. It was contested over 14 races. Chihuahua was added to calendar, while Guadalajara which was supposed to return after a one-year hiatus was later cancelled and replaced by Monterrey and Tuxtla Gutiérrez was also removed for the year. Germán Quiroga was the defending Driver's Champion however he left the series to compete in NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.


2012 NASCAR Toyota Series, 2012 calendar
The schedule was presented on January 19 with fourteen races in eight venues. Chihuahua debuted with a race at the El Dorado Speedway. Guadalajara was supposed to return after a year absence, however it was cancelled and replaced by Monterrey and Tuxtla Gutiérrez was also removed for the year.


2012 NASCAR Toyota Series, Season summary
The season began in Monterrey with the Regia 200. 37 drivers registered for the event; however an important absentee was the triple champion Germán Quiroga. Additionally,  the most popular driver winner, Jorge Arteaga, left the series. The race was marked by an accident that involved ten cars, which included Homero Richards who abandoned the race as a result. In the final lap, Rubén Rovelo passed Daniel Suárez to take the victory.


2012 NASCAR Toyota Series, Season summary
In the second race at Autódromo Potosino, Antonio Pérez started in fifth position and took the victory. Also in the race, Homero Richards had to drive the car of his teammate, Javier Razo, due to the breakdown of Richards' car.


2012 NASCAR Toyota Series, Season summary
In race three at Querétaro, Homero Richards achieved his tenth victory in the NTS in a GWC. The race was run 9 laps in excess. Rogelio López became the leader with a two point of advantage over Daniel Suárez.


2012 NASCAR Toyota Series, Season summary
Nocturna 200 was the fourth race in the season. Rogelio López took the pole position, and Daniel Suárez ultimately won the race. This was Suárez' first victory in NTS and he reached the number one position in the championship.


2012 NASCAR Toyota Series, Season summary
In the fifth race, Rubén García, Jr. (son of Rubén García Novoa), took his first pole position. García Jr clocked the track in 39.093 at 115.10 mph and became the youngest pole-sitter in NTS at age of 16. Jorge Goeters won the race in a GWC final. Goeters also took the first place in the championship, 11 points ahead of Daniel Suárez.


2012 NASCAR Toyota Series, Season summary
In the Aguascalientes 240, Antonio Pérez became the first driver to win two races in the season. Daniel Suárez came in second and Jorge Goeters finished third. In the championship, Suárez reduced his disadvantage to Goeters to nine points.


2012 NASCAR Toyota Series, Results and standings, Rookie of the Year
Bold – Pole position awarded by time. * – Most laps led.


2012 NASL Playoffs
The 2012 NASL Playoffs was the postseason tournament culminating the 2012 North American Soccer League season to determine the champion of the 2012 North American Soccer League. The top six regular season finishers qualified for the playoffs and competed in a single-elimination tournament, composed of three rounds. The tournament began September 29 and concluded on October 26.


2012 NBA All-Star Game
The 2012 NBA All-Star Game was an exhibition basketball game that was played on February 26, 2012, during the National Basketball Association's (NBA) 2011–12 season. It was the 61st edition of the NBA All-Star Game, and was played at the Amway Center in Orlando, Florida, home of the Orlando Magic. The Western Conference defeated the Eastern Conference, 152–149. Kevin Durant was named the All-Star Game Most Valuable Player.


2012 NBA All-Star Game
The Orlando Magic were awarded the All-Star Game in an announcement by commissioner David Stern on May 4, 2010. This was also the second time that Orlando has hosted the All-Star Game; the city had previously hosted the event in 1992 in the Orlando Arena, the Magic's previous home arena. This game also marked the first time an Eastern Conference city hosted an All-Star game since Atlanta in 2003. Despite the 2011 NBA lockout, which reduced the regular season to sixty-six games on a condensed schedule, the All-Star Game took place as scheduled.


2012 NBA All-Star Game
The All-Star Weekend began on Friday, February 24, 2012 with the Celebrity Game and the Rising Stars Challenge, a game featuring the league's best rookies and second-year players. On Saturday, the event continued with the All-Star Saturday Night, which featured the Shooting Stars Competition, Skills Challenge, Three-Point Shootout and Slam Dunk Contest. The D-League All-Star Game and the D-League Dream Factory, which includes the Slam Dunk Contest, Three-Point Shootout and Shooting Stars Competition, also took place during the All-Star Weekend. Both events were held on Saturday before the NBA All-Star Saturday Night.


2012 NBA All-Star Game, All-Star Game, Coaches
The coaches for the All-Star game are the head coaches who led the teams with the best winning percentages in their conference through the games of February 15, 2012. The head coaches from the previous year, Doc Rivers and Gregg Popovich were not eligible for selection.


2012 NBA All-Star Game, All-Star Game, Coaches
The coach for the Western Conference team was Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Scott Brooks. The Thunder had a 22–7 record on February 15, the best record in the Western Conference. The coach for the Eastern Conference team was Chicago Bulls head coach Tom Thibodeau. The Bulls had a 23–7 record on February 15, the best record in the Eastern Conference and in the league. This was the first All-Star Game selection for both Brooks and Thibodeau.


2012 NBA All-Star Game, All-Star Game, Players
The rosters for the All-Star Game were chosen in two ways. The starters were chosen via a fan ballot. Two guards, two forwards and one center who received the highest vote were named the All-Star starters. The reserves were chosen by votes among the NBA head coaches in their respective conferences. The coaches were not permitted to vote for their own players. The reserves consist of two guards, two forwards, one center and two players regardless of position. If a player is unable to participate due to injury, the commissioner will select a replacement.


2012 NBA All-Star Game, All-Star Game, Players
Dwight Howard of the Orlando Magic topped the ballots with 1,600,390 votes, which earned him a starting position as a center in the Eastern Conference team. Derrick Rose, Dwyane Wade, LeBron James, and Carmelo Anthony completed the Eastern Conference starting position. Howard, Rose, Wade and James were starters for the previous year's Eastern Conference team, while Anthony started for the Western Conference team. The Eastern Conference reserves includes three first-time selections, Luol Deng, Andre Iguodala, and Roy Hibbert. Atlanta Hawks guard Joe Johnson suffered an injury and was replaced by Boston Celtics guard Rajon Rondo. The Miami Heat is represented by three players, Wade, James and Chris Bosh, while the Chicago Bulls and the Celtics are represented by two players each.


2012 NBA All-Star Game, All-Star Game, Players
The Western Conference's leading vote-getter was Kobe Bryant, who earned his fourteenth consecutive All-Star Game selection with 1,555,479 votes. Chris Paul, Kevin Durant, Blake Griffin, and Andrew Bynum completed the Western Conference starting positions. Bryant, Paul and Durant were starters for the previous year's Western Conference team. Griffin became an All-Star Game starter for the first time after he was selected as a reserve in last year's game. Bynum received 1,051,945 votes to earn his first All-Star Game selection and a starting position at center.


2012 NBA All-Star Game, All-Star Game, Players
Bryant/Bynum and Paul/Griffin became the first two pair of teammates who were voted to start for one conference since the 1997 game. The Western Conference reserves include two other first-time selections, LaMarcus Aldridge and Marc Gasol. Both Los Angeles teams, the Lakers and the Los Angeles Clippers, are represented by two players each, all of them are starters. Durant, of the Oklahoma City Thunder, is the only Western Conference starter that does not play in either teams of Los Angeles. The Thunder is also represented by two players, Durant and Russell Westbrook.


2012 NBA All-Star Game, All-Star Game, Roster
Joe Johnson was unable to participate due to injury. Rajon Rondo was named as Joe Johnson's replacement.


2012 NBA All-Star Game, All-Star Game, Game
The West led by as many as 21 points and held on to win the game, 152–149. Kevin Durant scored 34 of his game-high 36 points in the first three quarters and was named the game's Most Valuable Player. LeBron James also scored 36. The West's lead was reduced to one point at 148–147 after a Deron Williams' steal and layup with 1:44 remaining. Leading 151–149, Blake Griffin secured the victory with a steal of a James' pass. Griffin was fouled and made one of two free throws with 1.1 seconds left.


2012 NBA All-Star Game, All-Star Game, Game
Kobe Bryant was guarding James on the pass and chastised James for not attempting a shot. Bryant left the game earlier in the third quarter after he was bloodied from a hard foul to his face by Dwyane Wade. He was diagnosed after the game with a broken nose and a concussion.


2012 NBA All-Star Game, All-Star Game, Game
Bryant finished with 27 points and became the leading scorer in All-Star history (271), passing Michael Jordan (262). Wade had 24 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists, joining James and Jordan as the only players to record a triple-double in the All-Star game. The West set an All-Star record with 88 first-half points, and the teams' 157 combined points at the half was also a record. The 301 combined points at the end of the game were two shy of the record set (in overtime) in the 1987 NBA All-Star Game. The East made 14 three-point field goals, another record.


2012 NBA All-Star Game, All-Star Weekend, BBVA Rising Stars Challenge
The BBVA Rising Stars Challenge featured the best first-year players ('Rookies') and the best second-year players ('Sophomores') going at each other. The game was divided into two twenty-minute halves, similar to college basketball. For this edition of the Rising Stars Challenge, a pool of the participating players was selected by the league's assistant coaches. Then, the teams were drafted by former NBA players and current TNT analysts Shaquille O'Neal and Charles Barkley, who serve as "General Managers" for their respective teams. Former NBA player and current TNT analyst Kenny Smith served as the "Honorary Commissioner" for the Rising Stars Challenge.


2012 NBA All-Star Game, All-Star Weekend, BBVA Rising Stars Challenge
Sophomore Jeremy Lin of the New York Knicks and rookie Norris Cole of the Miami Heat were two last-minute additions to the player pool. Sophomore Derrick Favors of the Utah Jazz was selected as an injury replacement for Tiago Splitter. Lin played only nine minutes in the game, at his request, due to exhaustion from his rise to stardom that month.


2012 NBA All-Star Game, All-Star Weekend, BBVA Rising Stars Challenge
Tiago Splitter was unable to participate due to injury. Derrick Favors was named Tiago Splitter's replacement. Kawhi Leonard did not play due to injury.


2012 NBA All-Star Game, All-Star Weekend, BBVA Rising Stars Challenge
Kyrie Irving, who scored 34 points on 8/8 three-point shooting, won the MVP award of the Rising Stars Challenge.


2012 NBA All-Star Game, All-Star Weekend, Sprite Slam Dunk Contest
Iman Shumpert was unable to participate due to injury. Jeremy Evans was named Iman Shumpert's replacement.


2012 NBA All-Star Game, All-Star Weekend, Foot Locker Three-Point Contest
Joe Johnson was unable to participate due to injury. Kevin Durant was named as Joe Johnson's replacement.


2012 NBA All-Star Game, All-Star Weekend, Taco Bell Skills Challenge
Stephen Curry was unable to participate due to injury. Rajon Rondo was named as Curry's replacement.


2012 NBA All-Star Game, All-Star Weekend, Haier Shooting Stars Competition
Joe Johnson was unable to participate due to injury. Jerry Stackhouse was named as Joe Johnson's replacement.


2012 NBA Development League draft
The 2012 NBA Development League Draft was the 12th draft of the National Basketball Association Development League (NBDL). The draft was held on November 2, 2012 before the 2012–13 season. In this draft, all 16 of the league's teams took turns selecting eligible players.


2012 NBA Development League draft
JaJuan Johnson was the first overall draft pick. In 2011–12 he had played for the Boston Celtics after being selected in the 2011 NBA draft. He became the second "Johnson" taken number one overall in the NBDL's after Ken Johnson was chosen in 2003. The first non-American selected was Christian Eyenga, who was taken eighth by the Texas Legends. Ten players had also been selected previously in an NBA draft – JaJuan Johnson, Andrew Goudelock, Justin Harper, Shelvin Mack, Shan Foster, Christian Eyenga, Jack McClinton, Travis Leslie, DeVon Hardin, and Sean Singletary.


2012 NBA Development League draft
Although some of the players chosen in the 2012 NBA Development League Draft had played semi-professional and/or professional basketball after college graduation, only the United States colleges they attended are listed.


2012 NBA Europe Live Tour
The 2012 NBA Europe Live Tour was a basketball exhibition tour featuring teams from the NBA and the Euroleague, as a part of the NBA Global Games. The hosting countries were Turkey, Germany, Italy and Spain.


2012 NBA Finals
The 2012 NBA Finals was the championship series of the National Basketball Association's (NBA) 2011–12 season, and the conclusion of the season's playoffs. The Eastern Conference champion Miami Heat defeated the Western Conference champion Oklahoma City Thunder four games to one to win their second NBA title. Heat forward LeBron James was named the Finals MVP.


2012 NBA Finals
The 2012 Finals marked the fourth time in franchise history that the Oklahoma City Thunder played in the NBA Finals. Previously known as the Seattle SuperSonics, the Thunder had not reached the Finals since relocating from Seattle, Washington to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma before the start of the 2008–2009 season. Prior to 2012, the franchise last played in the NBA Finals in 1996 as the SuperSonics, losing to the Michael Jordan-led Chicago Bulls. The 2012 Thunder team was the second-youngest NBA Finals team in history.


2012 NBA Finals
The 2012 Finals also marked the Miami Heat's second consecutive appearance in the NBA Finals and its third appearance overall. The Heat appeared in the Finals in 2006, defeating the Dallas Mavericks, and were defeated by the Mavericks in the 2011 Finals.


2012 NBA Finals, Background, Miami Heat
This was the second consecutive appearance for the Heat, after losing to the Dallas Mavericks in 2011. This was also their second Finals appearance in the "Big Three" era, being led by superstar LeBron James, shooting guard Dwyane Wade, and power forward Chris Bosh. Their other Finals appearance was in 2006, when they defeated the Mavericks to win their first NBA title.


2012 NBA Finals, Background, Miami Heat
In the regular season, the Heat finished with 46 victories, then defeated the New York Knicks (4–1), Indiana Pacers (4–2) and Boston Celtics (4–3) on their way to the Finals. Along the way, they managed to overcome series deficits that nearly sent them home but they had strings of victories to let them survive. The first was against the Pacers in the Conference Semifinals when they trailed in the series, 1–2. The Heat responded by taking three straight victories to defeat the Pacers. The second was against the Celtics in the Conference Finals when they trailed, 2–3, in the series. They responded by winning a decisive game 6 in Boston, taking the last two games of the series to advance to the Finals.


2012 NBA Finals, Background, Miami Heat
The 2011-2012 Heat team included several new players that had not played for the team during its 2011 Finals run, including Shane Battier, Eddy Curry, Ronny Turiaf, and rookies Terrel Harris and Norris Cole.


2012 NBA Finals, Background, Oklahoma City Thunder
This was the Thunder's first NBA Finals appearance since the team relocated from Seattle to Oklahoma City in 2008. Including their seasons as the Seattle SuperSonics, this was also the club's fourth Finals appearance, and first since 1996, when they lost to the Michael Jordan-led Chicago Bulls. The team was seeking their first NBA championship since 1979.


2012 NBA Finals, Background, Oklahoma City Thunder
The Thunder finished with 47 wins, second in the Western Conference. During the playoffs, they defeated the defending champion Dallas Mavericks (4–0), the Los Angeles Lakers (4–1), and the #1 West Seed San Antonio Spurs (4–2).


2012 NBA Finals, Background, Oklahoma City Thunder
The Thunder came into the Finals as the second-youngest finalists in NBA history.


2012 NBA Finals, Background, Regular season series
The season series was tied, 1–1, with both teams winning at their home floor.


2012 NBA Finals, Game summaries, Game 1
The Thunder defeated the Heat, 105–94, in Game 1. Miami held the lead for most of the first three quarters, including a 13-point lead at one point during the second quarter. The Heat made five three-pointers to jump to a 29–22 lead by the end of the first quarter, but Oklahoma City kept on pace with Miami to keep the score at 54–47 by halftime. The Thunder then took the lead for good with 16 seconds left in the third quarter after Russell Westbrook made a free throw to make it 74–73. Kevin Durant led Oklahoma City with 36 points, while Westbrook had 27. LeBron James led the Heat with 30 points, but was held to one basket during the first eight minutes of the fourth quarter.


2012 NBA Finals, Game summaries, Game 2
The Heat defeated the Thunder 100-96 in Game 2, tying the series at one game a piece and giving the Thunder their first home playoff loss of the season. Miami never trailed, building a 27–15 first quarter lead, and holding a 17-point advantage at one point. The Thunder attempted a comeback in the fourth quarter, and with 37 seconds left in the game, Oklahoma City's Kevin Durant made a three-pointer to cut the deficit, 98–96. Durant would miss a game-tying jumper in the closing seconds as Miami held off Oklahoma City for the Game 2 win.


2012 NBA Finals, Game summaries, Game 2
The play did not come without controversy however as many observers had felt that James had fouled Durant on the right hip during the shot, a potential sixth foul that would have taken the Heat superstar out of the game in the process. LeBron James led the Heat with 32 points, while Durant scored 32 of his own to lead the Thunder.


2012 NBA Finals, Game summaries, Game 3
Miami won Game 3, 91-85, to go up two games to one in the series. Miami had a slim 47–46 halftime lead before Oklahoma City began the third quarter with a 10–4 run, eventually building a 10-point lead midway through the period. However, Miami scored the last seven points in the third quarter to regain the lead at 69–67. With 7:36 remaining in the game, the Thunder came back to retake the lead at 77–76, but the Heat then scored eight unanswered points to build an 84–77 advantage with 3:47 left.


2012 NBA Finals, Game summaries, Game 3
A 6–0 run by Oklahoma City pulled them within one point of Miami with 90 seconds left, but the Thunder could not score again for the rest of the game while the Heat made five insurance free throws. LeBron James led the Heat with 29 points and 14 rebounds, while Kevin Durant scored 25 points to lead the Thunder.


2012 NBA Finals, Game summaries, Game 4
Miami won Game 4, 104–98, to go up three games to one in the series. The Thunder jumped to a 33–19 lead by the end the first quarter, but the Heat rallied to cut the score to 49–46 at halftime, thanks to two huge three-pointers by Heat rookie Norris Cole. The two teams remained neck-and-neck throughout most of the third quarter, with Miami holding a 4-point lead at the start of fourth period.


2012 NBA Finals, Game summaries, Game 4
However, for the final 16 minutes of the game, Russell Westbrook (who led the Thunder with 43 points) and Kevin Durant (who had 28 points) were the only two Oklahoma City players able to score. With the other Thunder players struggling to make their shots, Miami was able to pull away in the end, largely thanks to late-game heroics from LeBron James, Mario Chalmers and Dwyane Wade. LeBron James led the Heat with 26 points, including the go ahead three pointer, but had to sit out during the final two minutes of the game due to leg cramps.


2012 NBA Finals, Game summaries, Game 4
Mario Chalmers scored 25 points and made two key plays to seal Miami's win: a driving layup around a well-positioned Serge Ibaka and two free throws after a rare mistake by Westbrook (he fouled Chalmers after the point guard recovered Shane Battier's tip on a jump ball with less than 1 minute left, thinking that the shot clock would reset, while NBA rules do not reset at that point in a 4th quarter if the team that previously had the ball re-gains possession off the tip).


2012 NBA Finals, Game summaries, Game 5
Miami won Game 5, 121–106, to win the series, four games to one. After keeping it a close game in the first half, the Thunder were outscored 36–22 in the third quarter, with Miami leading as much as 27 at one point. Miami was fueled by strong performances by LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh, as well as by Mike Miller, who was 7 for 8 for three-pointers, ending the night with 23 points.


2012 NBA Finals, Game summaries, Game 5
Miller only entered the game because Wade encountered foul trouble in the first half, with Coach Erik Spoelstra telling the variously-injured veteran the Heat just needed him to hold the fort until the 2nd quarter began; when Miller hit two three-pointers, Spoelstra asked him if he could keep playing and Miller said yes, leading to 23 minutes on the court that were critical in blowing the game open for Miami. The team tied an NBA Finals record for most 3-pointers in a game with 14.


2012 NBA Finals, Game summaries, Game 5
With three minutes remaining in the game, both teams took their starters out of the game, with the Heat still leading by more than 20 points. With their Game 5 win, the Heat won their second NBA championship in team history, and the first for several Heat players, including James, who was named the NBA Finals MVP after averaging 28.6 points, 10.2 rebounds and 7.4 assists in the finals, capping it all off with his first triple double of the season in the final game. For the Thunder, Kevin Durant had 32 points, and 11 rebounds; Russell Westbrook had 19 points and 6 assists; and James Harden led the bench with 19 points, 5 assists, and 4 rebounds.


2012 NBA Finals, Broadcast
In the United States, the NBA Finals aired on ABC and Mike Breen and Jeff Van Gundy served as commentators. ESPN Radio aired it as well and had Jim Durham, Jack Ramsey and Hubie Brown as commentators.


2012 NBA Summer League
The 2012 NBA Summer League was a pro basketball league run by the NBA just after the 2012 NBA Draft. It took place in Orlando, Florida from July 9 to 13 and in Las Vegas, Nevada from July 13 to 22, 2012. Damian Lillard (Portland Trail Blazers) and Josh Selby (Memphis Grizzlies) won the MVP honors.


2012 NBA Summer League, Orlando Summer League, Teams
The following is a list of teams that participated in the Orlando Summer League


2012 NBA Summer League, Las Vegas Summer League
Box scores and recaps for each game can be viewed


2012 NBA Summer League, Las Vegas Summer League, Teams
The following is a list of teams that participated in the Las Vegas Summer League.


2012 NBA Summer League, League leaders
The league leaders' stats include stats for Orlando and Las Vegas summer leagues.


2012 NBA draft
The 2012 NBA draft was held on June 28, 2012, at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. The draft started at 7:00 pm Eastern Daylight Time (2300 UTC), and was broadcast in the United States on ESPN. In this draft, National Basketball Association (NBA) teams took turns selecting amateur U.S. college basketball players and other eligible players, including international players. This draft marked the first time that the first two players selected were from the same school (Anthony Davis and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist were teammates at Kentucky).


2012 NBA draft
It also set a record of having six players from one school (Kentucky) being selected in the two rounds of the draft and was the first draft to have the first three selections be college freshmen all from the same conference, the Southeastern Conference. Not only that, but it also featured the oldest player to ever get selected in an NBA draft, with Bernard James being 27 years old at the time of the draft. Of the players drafted, 30 are forwards, 21 are guards, and 9 are centers.


2012 NBA draft
The 2012 NBA draft marked the first appearance of the Brooklyn Nets. This draft also marks the last draft appearance for the New Orleans Hornets. After the 2012–13 season, the franchise was renamed as the New Orleans Pelicans. New Orleans made their first draft appearance as the Pelicans in 2013.


2012 NBA draft, Notable undrafted players
These players were not selected in the 2012 NBA Draft but have played at least one game in the NBA.


2012 NBA draft, Eligibility rules
The draft was conducted under the eligibility rules established in the league's now-expired 2005 collective bargaining agreement (CBA) with its players union. The CBA that ended the 2011 lockout instituted no immediate changes to the draft, but called for a committee of owners and players to discuss future changes. As of 2011, the basic eligibility rules for the draft are listed below.


2012 NBA draft, Eligibility rules
The basic requirement for automatic eligibility for a U.S. player is the completion of his college eligibility. Players who meet the CBA definition of "international players" are automatically eligible if their 22nd birthday falls during or before the calendar year of the draft (i.e., born on or before December 31, 1990). U.S. players who were at least one year removed from their high school graduation and have played minor-league basketball with a team outside the NBA are also automatically eligible.


2012 NBA draft, Eligibility rules
A player who is not automatically eligible must declare his eligibility for the draft by notifying the NBA offices in writing no later than 60 days before the draft. For the 2012 draft, this date fell on April 29. Under NCAA rules, players will only have until April 10 to withdraw from the draft and maintain their college eligibility.


2012 NBA draft, Eligibility rules
A player who has hired an agent will forfeit his remaining college eligibility, regardless of whether he is drafted. Also, while the CBA allows a player to withdraw from the draft twice, the NCAA mandates that a player who has declared twice loses his college eligibility.


2012 NBA draft, Entrants, Early entrants
On May 3, 2012, the league announced a list of 67 early entry candidates which consists of 50 collegiate players and 17 international players. At the withdrawal deadline, 11 early entry candidates withdrew from the draft, leaving 49 collegiate players and 7 international players as the early entry candidates for the draft.


2012 NBA draft, Entrants, Automatically eligible entrants
Players who do not meet the criteria for "international" players are automatically eligible if they meet any of the following criteria:


2012 NBA draft, Entrants, Automatically eligible entrants
Players who meet the criteria for "international" players are automatically eligible if they meet any of the following criteria:


2012 NBA draft, Draft lottery
The first 14 picks in the draft belong to teams that miss the playoffs; the order was determined through a lottery. The lottery determined the three teams that will obtain the first three picks on the draft. The remaining first-round picks and the second-round picks were assigned to teams in reverse order of their win-loss record in the previous season.


2012 NBA draft, Draft lottery
The lottery was held on May 30, 2012, in the Disney/ABC Times Square Studio in New York City. The New Orleans Hornets won the rights to the first overall selection with a 13.7% chance to win. The Hornets were a league-owned team at the time, leading to continued conspiracy theories about the lottery process. The Charlotte Bobcats, who had the worst record and the biggest chance to win the lottery, won the second overall pick.


2012 NBA draft, Draft lottery
Below were the chances for each team to get specific picks in the 2012 draft lottery, rounded to three decimal places.


2012 NBA draft, Draft lottery
^ 1: Brooklyn Nets' pick was conveyed to the Portland Trail Blazers. ^ 2: Minnesota Timberwolves' pick was conveyed to the New Orleans Hornets via the Los Angeles Clippers.


2012 NBA draft, Invited attendees
The NBA annually invites 10 to 15 players to sit in the so-called "green room", a special room set aside at the draft site for the invited players plus their families and agents. This season, the following 14 players were invited (listed alphabetically). All players represented the United States of America.


2012 NBA draft, Trades involving draft picks, Pre-draft trades
Prior to the day of the draft, the following trades were made and resulted in exchanges of draft picks between the teams.


2012 NBA draft, Trades involving draft picks, Draft-day trades
The following trades involving drafted players were made on the day of the draft


2012 NBA playoffs
The 2012 NBA playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 2011–12 season. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Conference champion Miami Heat defeating the Western Conference champion Oklahoma City Thunder 4 games to 1 in the NBA Finals. LeBron James was named NBA Finals MVP.


2012 NBA playoffs
Except for the Los Angeles Clippers and Utah Jazz, the playoffs featured the same teams from 2011; all 8 from the East were the same as last year. They also all had records over .500, the first time since 2005. The Clippers made the playoffs for the first time since 2006, while Utah made it for the 5th time in the last 6 years, it was their first without Jerry Sloan as head coach since 1988.


2012 NBA playoffs
The Indiana Pacers opened the playoffs at home for the first time since 2004, while the Memphis Grizzlies earned home-court advantage for the first time in franchise history. For the fourth time since 2006, a division winner (in this case the Atlantic Division champion Boston Celtics) opened the playoffs on the road.


2012 NBA playoffs
The defending champions Dallas Mavericks were swept by the Oklahoma City Thunder 4–0, becoming the third defending champion to be swept in the First Round after the Philadelphia Warriors in 1957 and Miami Heat in 2007, and second after Miami to be done so in a 7-game series. It was the first time the Mavericks were swept in a 7-game series, and only their second sweep since 1990.


2012 NBA playoffs
The New York Knicks lost their 13th straight playoff game in Game 3 against the Heat, breaking Memphis' record from 2004–06 for the longest playoff losing streak.


2012 NBA playoffs
The 8th-seeded Philadelphia 76ers defeated the 1st-seeded Bulls 4–2, becoming only the 5th team in NBA history to do so. Following the Grizzlies' 2011 upset of the 1st-seeded Spurs, this marked the first time in straight seasons an 8th-seed upset a #1 seed. The 76ers suffered the same fate as the Grizzlies, forcing the next series to a Game 7 but losing on the road.


2012 NBA playoffs
Game 7 of the Lakers–Nuggets series ensured a 13th straight postseason with at least one Game 7 played. The last without one was the 1999 NBA Playoffs.


2012 NBA playoffs
The Spurs became the fourth team and first from the West to go 8–0 through the playoffs' first two rounds following the 2003 change in the first round format to 7 games. The Heat in 2005, Cavs in 2009 and Magic in 2010, also went 8–0 through the first two rounds. In addition, all 3 lost Game 1 of their Conference Finals. The Spurs broke this trend by defeating the Thunder in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals.


2012 NBA playoffs
By winning 20 straight games, they set an NBA record for the longest winning streak carried over from the regular season to the playoffs, which was broken with the Game 3 loss, and finished a win short of tying the longest unbeaten playoff run in a single postseason. They ended up losing the series 4–2 after leading 2–0.


2012 NBA playoffs
The Chicago Bulls were eliminated after losing Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah to injuries, and the New York Knicks lost to the Miami Heat while losing Baron Davis and Iman Shumpert to knee injuries. The Heat were not immune, losing Chris Bosh for most of the playoffs en route to their championship. Commissioner David Stern initially said there was no connection between the injuries and the lockout that compressed the regular season to 66-game in 124 days; however, he backed off those comments a week later, saying more research was needed.


2012 NBA playoffs
This marked the final playoff appearance of Kobe Bryant before his retirement in 2016.


2012 NBA playoffs, Format
The 6 division winners and 10 other teams with the most wins from each conference qualified for the playoffs. The seedings are based on each team's record; however, a division winner is guaranteed to be ranked at least fourth, regardless of record.


2012 NBA playoffs, Format, Tiebreak procedures
If there were more than two teams tied, the team that wins the tiebreaker gets the highest seed, while the other teams were "re-broken" from the first step until all ties were resolved. Since the three division winners were guaranteed a spot in the top four, ties to determine the division winners had to be broken before any other ties.


2012 NBA playoffs, Bracket
Teams in bold advanced to the next round. The numbers to the left of each team indicate the team's seeding in its conference, and the numbers to the right indicate the number of games the team won in that round. The division champions are marked by an asterisk. Home court advantage belongs to the team with the better regular season record, regardless of seed. (If two teams with the same record meet in a round, the tiebreakers used are head-to-head and record vs. opposite conference.) Teams with home court advantage are shown in italics in the chart below.


2012 NBA playoffs, First Round, Eastern Conference First Round, (1) Chicago Bulls vs. (8) Philadelphia 76ers
The Bulls came into the playoffs as the first overall seed for the second straight year. The 76ers, meanwhile, came into the playoffs as the team with the worst record in the playoffs. The Bulls made quick work of the 76ers, winning Game 1. However, with the Bulls leading by 12 with 1:20 to go in the fourth, Derrick Rose tore his ACL and he was ruled out for the playoffs, putting the Bulls championship hopes in serious jeopardy. The 76ers took the next three games to put the Bulls in the brink of elimination.


2012 NBA playoffs, First Round, Eastern Conference First Round, (1) Chicago Bulls vs. (8) Philadelphia 76ers
In Game 3, Joakim Noah was injured when he stepped on Andre Iguodala's foot, ruling him out for the next two games. The Bulls staved off elimination by winning Game 5 at home. In Game 6, with the Bulls up 1 with 7 seconds to go, Ömer Aşık missed two crucial free-throws. Iguodala managed to rebound the ball and sprinted to the other side of the court. He got fouled by Aşık while going for a shot. Iguodala gave the 76ers the lead by making the free-throws.


2012 NBA playoffs, First Round, Eastern Conference First Round, (1) Chicago Bulls vs. (8) Philadelphia 76ers
The Bulls, who were out of timeouts, had one last chance to force a Game 7 but C. J. Watson's halfcourt heave bounced off the back of the rim, giving the 76ers the series. They advanced to the semifinals for the first time since 2003. The Bulls, meanwhile, became the fifth first-seeded team to be upset by the eighth-seed.


2012 NBA playoffs, First Round, Eastern Conference First Round, (1) Chicago Bulls vs. (8) Philadelphia 76ers
This was the third playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Bulls winning the first two meetings.


2012 NBA playoffs, First Round, Eastern Conference First Round, (2) Miami Heat vs. (7) New York Knicks
The Heat defeated the Knicks in Game 1 by 33 points. Game 2 was much closer, even without Knicks' starting rookie guard Iman Shumpert who suffered an ACL injury the previous game, but the Heat still won by 10. In Game 3 in MSG, the Heat found themselves on the wrong end in the first half, trailing by as much as 11 points, before closing the half with a 7–0 run. The Heat led by 2 after the 3rd quarter. However, LeBron James quickly sparked an 8–0 run to start the 4th quarter, giving them a 10-point lead.


2012 NBA playoffs, First Round, Eastern Conference First Round, (2) Miami Heat vs. (7) New York Knicks
The Knicks never recovered. James himself outscored the Knicks in the fourth, 17–14. By losing Game 3, the Knicks set a new league record by losing 13 straight playoff games, their last win coming April 29, 2001, in their series versus the Raptors. In Game 4, Knicks' starting guard Baron Davis injured himself in the third quarter and had to be carried off the court on a stretcher. But led by Carmelo Anthony's 41, the Knicks won 89–87, escaping a sweep as Wade's potential series-winning 3 missed at the buzzer.


2012 NBA playoffs, First Round, Eastern Conference First Round, (2) Miami Heat vs. (7) New York Knicks
In Game 5, the Knicks started strong but Miami took over the rest of the way. The Heat led by 11 at the end of the first half. The Heat never squandered the lead, effectively sealing the game and the series with a 3-pointer by Battier that gave the Heat a 14-point lead with a minute left in the game. The Knicks were led by Anthony's 35. Amar'e Stoudemire, meanwhile, was plagued by foul trouble. He fouled out with about 4 minutes left in the game.


2012 NBA playoffs, First Round, Eastern Conference First Round, (2) Miami Heat vs. (7) New York Knicks
This was the fifth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Knicks winning three of the first four meetings.


2012 NBA playoffs, First Round, Eastern Conference First Round, (3) Indiana Pacers vs. (6) Orlando Magic
The Pacers were considered the heavy favorites in the series as the Magic would try to defeat the Pacers without Dwight Howard. The Magic defied the odds in Game 1, as the Pacers went scoreless in the final 4 minutes of the game, allowing the Magic to go on an 11–0 run to finish the game and take a 1–0 series lead. The Pacers quickly took revenge, winning the next two games at home and on the road by an average of 19 points. Game 4 was close, with the game going to overtime.


2012 NBA playoffs, First Round, Eastern Conference First Round, (3) Indiana Pacers vs. (6) Orlando Magic
However, George Hill hit two free-throws with 2 seconds left to give the Pacers a 3–1 lead in the series. Game 5 was close throughout the first three quarters, with Magic taking a two-point lead heading to the 4th quarter. However, Indiana outscored the Magic 36–16 in the fourth to give the Pacers the series victory 4–1.


2012 NBA playoffs, First Round, Eastern Conference First Round, (3) Indiana Pacers vs. (6) Orlando Magic
This was the third playoff meeting between these two teams, with each team winning one series apiece.


2012 NBA playoffs, First Round, Eastern Conference First Round, (4) Boston Celtics vs. (5) Atlanta Hawks
The Hawks had homecourt advantage for the series despite being the lower seeded team by having the better season-record of the two; the Celtics took the 4th-seed by winning their division title. The Hawks won Game 1 by nine points, but the Celtics took the next three games, pushing the Hawks to the brink of elimination. Games 2 and 3 were close victories for the Celtics with Game 4 being a blowout victory for them. Game 5 in Atlanta was a close one.


2012 NBA playoffs, First Round, Eastern Conference First Round, (4) Boston Celtics vs. (5) Atlanta Hawks
In the final seconds, with the Hawks up by one, Rajon Rondo stole an inbound pass, giving the Celtics a chance to finish off the Hawks. However, Josh Smith stripped a Rondo pass intended for Kevin Garnett, letting the Hawks survive and force a Game 6. In Game 6, Garnett led the Celtics to an 83–80 victory and advance. The Hawks had a chance to tie the game through free throws. However, Al Horford missed his first free throw that could have cut the lead to one.


2012 NBA playoffs, First Round, Eastern Conference First Round, (4) Boston Celtics vs. (5) Atlanta Hawks
It was the Hawks' only miss at the free throw line the entire night. He made his second to cut it to one and the Hawks quickly fouled Paul Pierce. Pierce made both free throws to extend Celtics' lead to 3. With a chance to tie the game, Jeff Teague fumbled a pass, sealing the series for Boston.


2012 NBA playoffs, First Round, Eastern Conference First Round, (4) Boston Celtics vs. (5) Atlanta Hawks
This was the 11th playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Celtics winning nine of the first ten meetings.


2012 NBA playoffs, First Round, Western Conference First Round, (1) San Antonio Spurs vs. (8) Utah Jazz
The Spurs were touted the heavy favorites in the series, following their 10-game winning streak to end the regular season and their 3–1 season series victory over the Jazz. They quickly worked their way through the Jazz, scoring 31 points in the third quarter to blow the game open. They eventually won Game 1 106–91. In Game 2, the Spurs shot 10 three-pointers and shot more than 50% as they blew out the Jazz 114–83 to take a 2–0 series lead. Game 3 was close throughout the first half, with the Spurs leading only by 2 after the first half.


2012 NBA playoffs, First Round, Western Conference First Round, (1) San Antonio Spurs vs. (8) Utah Jazz
However, the Spurs blew the game open in the second half and won by 12 to take a 3–0 lead in the series. The odds were stacked against the Jazz as no team in NBA history have managed to win a series after trailing 3–0. Notably, before Game 4 had even been played, Jazz forward Al Jefferson commented that he didn't think any team would defeat the Spurs In Game 4, it seemed like the Spurs would complete the sweep when they had a 21-point lead. However, the Jazz eventually cut the lead to just 4 with 49.4 seconds left in the fourth. However, Tony Parker and Manu Ginóbili eventually sealed the series by stealing the ball and scoring on a basket respectively. The Spurs eventually completed the sweep, winning Game 4 by 6.


2012 NBA playoffs, First Round, Western Conference First Round, (1) San Antonio Spurs vs. (8) Utah Jazz
This was the fifth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Jazz winning three of the first four meetings.


2012 NBA playoffs, First Round, Western Conference First Round, (2) Oklahoma City Thunder vs. (7) Dallas Mavericks
The Mavericks came into the playoffs only as the 7th-seed, one of the lowest placements for a defending champion. Game 1 was a very close affair, with both teams going back and forth in the final minutes of the fourth quarter. However, Kevin Durant scored on a one-handed jumper with just about 1 second remaining. The Mavs still tried to win but Shawn Marion failed to get a shot off at the buzzer, giving the Thunder a one-point victory and a 1–0 series lead.


2012 NBA playoffs, First Round, Western Conference First Round, (2) Oklahoma City Thunder vs. (7) Dallas Mavericks
Game 2 was also a close one but the Thunder held on and managed to squeak a 102–99 win and 2–0 series lead over the defending champs. In Game 3, the Mavs were no match for the Thunder, with the Thunder eventually blowing out the defending champs 95–79 to send the Mavs into the brink of a sweep. In Game 4, it looked as if the Mavs would stave off elimination when they led by 13 at the end of the third quarter. However, the Thunder outscored the Mavs 35–16 in the fourth and held on for a 103–97 victory over the Mavs. Following the sweep, the Mavs became just the 3rd defending champion to be swept in the first round.


2012 NBA playoffs, First Round, Western Conference First Round, (2) Oklahoma City Thunder vs. (7) Dallas Mavericks
This was the fourth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Mavericks winning two of the first three meetings.


2012 NBA playoffs, First Round, Western Conference First Round, (3) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (6) Denver Nuggets
The Lakers won the opening game 103–88 after Andrew Bynum had a triple-double with 10 points, 13 rebounds, and 10 blocked shots. The blocked shots broke Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's franchise record of nine, and tied the NBA playoff record set by Mark Eaton and Hakeem Olajuwon. Kobe Bryant scored 31 points and Pau Gasol added 13 points, eight rebounds and eight assists. The Lakers then won a close Game 2 but the Nuggets proceeded to blow out the Lakers in Game 3 99–84 to prevent the Lakers from taking a commanding 3–0 lead.


2012 NBA playoffs, First Round, Western Conference First Round, (3) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (6) Denver Nuggets
Game 4 was close but Sessions and Blake hit pivotal 3's to put the Lakers in the lead for good and take a 3–1 series lead. Before Game 5, Bynum said that "Close-out games are actually kind of easy." The Nuggets responded by taking Game 5 102–99. The game saw the Lakers erase a 90–75 deficit with 6:35 left in the fourth quarter. In Game 6, Bryant played despite having a stomach illness, but still managed to score 31 points.


2012 NBA playoffs, First Round, Western Conference First Round, (3) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (6) Denver Nuggets
However, with little contribution from Gasol and Bynum, the Nuggets forced Game 7 with a 113–96 blowout win over the Lakers. The Lakers won the series 4–3, and avoided becoming the ninth team in NBA history to be eliminated after blowing a 3–1 series lead. Gasol had 23 points, 17 rebounds and six assists, Bynum had 16 points and a playoff career-high 18 rebounds, and Steve Blake scored a playoff career-high 19 points in a 96–87 win in Game 7.


2012 NBA playoffs, First Round, Western Conference First Round, (3) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (6) Denver Nuggets
The Lakers blew a 16-point lead in the second half before Gasol put the Lakers ahead for good with a tip-in basket with 6:30 left. Kobe Bryant sealed Denver's fate by hitting a 3 with 48.3 seconds left to put the Lakers up 8. Denver had 19 turnovers in the game and shot just 7-of-27 in the fourth quarter. Returning from his seven-game suspension, Metta World Peace scored 15 points, while Bryant had 17 points, and 8 assists.


2012 NBA playoffs, First Round, Western Conference First Round, (3) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (6) Denver Nuggets
This was the sixth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Lakers winning the first five meetings.


2012 NBA playoffs, First Round, Western Conference First Round, (4) Memphis Grizzlies vs. (5) Los Angeles Clippers
The Clippers rallied to win Game 1 in one of the largest comebacks in playoff history. Trailing by as many as 27, and down 95–71 with 9:13 left, the Clippers held the Grizzlies to just one field goal the rest of the game and pulled off an improbable 99–98 victory before a stunned, sold-out crowd of 18,119 at FedExForum. In Game 2, the Grizzlies avenged their embarrassing Game 1 loss by winning a close Game 2 to even the series going to Los Angeles.


2012 NBA playoffs, First Round, Western Conference First Round, (4) Memphis Grizzlies vs. (5) Los Angeles Clippers
In Game 3, the Clippers survived a late Grizzlies rally in the final minute as Rudy Gay's 3 missed at the buzzer to give the Clippers an 87–86 victory and a 2–1 series lead. Game 4 was close, with the game going to overtime. With Chris Paul's heroics, the Clippers managed to win Game 4 and take a commanding 3–1 series lead. Back at home for Game 5, the Grizzlies tried to stave off elimination, at one point taking a 24-point lead in the third before the Clippers cut the lead again.


2012 NBA playoffs, First Round, Western Conference First Round, (4) Memphis Grizzlies vs. (5) Los Angeles Clippers
However, the Grizzlies made sure there would be no collapse, using a 7–1 run in the final 1:44 to win Game 5 92–80. Facing elimination on the road, the Grizzlies gathered themselves, storming back from an eight-point fourth-quarter deficit to win Game 6 90–88, to force a decisive Game 7. In Game 7, the Clipper bench outscored their Grizzlies counterparts, 41–11, and it was enough as the Clippers won on the road, becoming the 6th NBA road team to do so after leading series 3–1, to advance to the semifinals against the Spurs.


2012 NBA playoffs, First Round, Western Conference First Round, (4) Memphis Grizzlies vs. (5) Los Angeles Clippers
This was the first playoff meeting between the Clippers and the Grizzlies.


2012 NBA playoffs, Conference Semifinals, Eastern Conference Semifinals, (2) Miami Heat vs. (3) Indiana Pacers
Even though the Heat won the regular season series, 3–1, this playoff series was expected to be a close one. In Game 1, the Heat took a major blow when Chris Bosh got injured in the first half. He was expected to be out for the rest of the series. However, James and Wade took over in the second half to give the Heat the win, 95–86. In Game 2, the Heat started strong, at one point taking a 9-point lead.


2012 NBA playoffs, Conference Semifinals, Eastern Conference Semifinals, (2) Miami Heat vs. (3) Indiana Pacers
The Pacers answered that by outscoring the Heat 28–14 in the third quarter to take an 11-point lead going to the fourth quarter. The Heat would come back, taking a 72–71 lead with 4:11 to go. However, with James and Wade missing key chances, the Pacers tied the series with a 78–75 win. Game 3 marked one of the worst playoff games for Wade, as he scored just 5 points on 2-of-13 shooting. Without Wade's contribution, the Heat found themselves down in the series 2–1 as the Pacers blew out the Heat, 94–75.


2012 NBA playoffs, Conference Semifinals, Eastern Conference Semifinals, (2) Miami Heat vs. (3) Indiana Pacers
Before Game 4, the Heat regrouped and refocused on the series. The result was a 101–93 victory over the Pacers in Game 4 to tie the series at 2–2. James scored 40 in the game, to go along with 18 rebounds and 9 assists. Wade recovered from his Game 3 performance by scoring 30. In Game 5, it was the Pacers who took the major blow when Danny Granger got injured in the second quarter by stepping on James's foot. He tried to come back in the third quarter but he aggravated his injury after fouling James.


2012 NBA playoffs, Conference Semifinals, Eastern Conference Semifinals, (2) Miami Heat vs. (3) Indiana Pacers
Then, after the third period, West left the game with a knee injury. Without Granger and West, the Pacers were unable to stop the Heat, as the Heat won 115–83 to take a 3–2 series lead, putting them a win away from the Eastern Conference Finals. In Game 6, West and Granger started for the Pacers despite their injuries. The Pacers started strong, even taking a 19–8 lead in the first quarter. However, the third quarter was decisive, with the Heat outscoring the Pacers 28–16 to take a 79–69 lead going to the fourth quarter. Led by Wade's 41 and James's 28, the Heat won three straight, 105–93, to take the series, 4–2.


2012 NBA playoffs, Conference Semifinals, Eastern Conference Semifinals, (2) Miami Heat vs. (3) Indiana Pacers
This was the second playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Pacers winning the first meeting.


2012 NBA playoffs, Conference Semifinals, Eastern Conference Semifinals, (4) Boston Celtics vs. (8) Philadelphia 76ers
The Sixers came off fresh of an upset over the injury-laden Bulls. Both the Celtics and the Sixers clinched their first round series on the same day. In Game 1, Rondo had another triple-double, but the Sixers held a 10-point lead with 10:53 left in the fourth quarter. However, the Celtics eventually came back, winning Game 1 by a point to take a 1–0 series lead. On the final possession, the Sixers were unable to foul a speedy Rondo, who dribbled out the clock. Game 2 saw the visitors lead for most of the game.


2012 NBA playoffs, Conference Semifinals, Eastern Conference Semifinals, (4) Boston Celtics vs. (8) Philadelphia 76ers
With the Sixers leading 78–75 with 12 seconds to go, the Celtics squandered a chance to tie the game, as Garnett was called for an offensive foul. The Sixers then hit their final four free-throws to tie the series at 1 going back to Philadelphia. In Game 3, the Sixers held their last lead with 9:09 left in the second quarter as the Celtics took over the rest of the game to lead them to a 2–1 series advantage. In Game 4, the Celtics led by as much as 18 in the third quarter.


2012 NBA playoffs, Conference Semifinals, Eastern Conference Semifinals, (4) Boston Celtics vs. (8) Philadelphia 76ers
Facing the prospect of trailing 1–3 in the series, the Sixers came back to take the game from the Celtics and tie the series going back to Boston. Game 5 saw Brandon Bass score 27 points, including 18 in the third quarter as the Celtics blew out the Sixers, 101–85, to push them a win away from the Eastern Conference Finals. Before the start of Game 6, Allen Iverson presented the game ball, prompting huge cheers from the crowd.


2012 NBA playoffs, Conference Semifinals, Eastern Conference Semifinals, (4) Boston Celtics vs. (8) Philadelphia 76ers
It was enough to motivate the Sixers to defeat the Celtics 82–75 to force a Game 7. Jrue Holiday scored 20 points, including two free-throws with 31 seconds to go to put the game away. Game 7 was a tight contest, with the two teams going back-and-forth. Paul Pierce fouled out late in the fourth quarter, but Rondo had his second triple-double of the series, including a fourth quarter that helped the Celtics advance to the Conference Finals to face the Miami Heat.


2012 NBA playoffs, Conference Semifinals, Eastern Conference Semifinals, (4) Boston Celtics vs. (8) Philadelphia 76ers
This series is an important plot point in the 2019 film Uncut Gems, in which Garnett co-stars.


2012 NBA playoffs, Conference Semifinals, Eastern Conference Semifinals, (4) Boston Celtics vs. (8) Philadelphia 76ers
This was the 20th playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Celtics winning 11 of the first 19 meetings.


2012 NBA playoffs, Conference Semifinals, Western Conference Semifinals
This is the first playoffs that the city of Los Angeles has both teams participating in the Conference Semifinals. The last time the Lakers and Clippers were in the Conference Semifinals was 1974, when the Clippers franchise was the Buffalo Braves. Also, another team based out of Staples Center, the National Hockey League's Los Angeles Kings, participated in the 2012 Stanley Cup playoffs. As a result of these 3 teams sharing one arena, Games 3 and 4 of the Thunder–Lakers and Spurs–Clippers series were played back-to-back on May 18–19 and 19–20 respectively, to avoid scheduling conflicts.


2012 NBA playoffs, Conference Semifinals, Western Conference Semifinals, (1) San Antonio Spurs vs. (5) Los Angeles Clippers
The Spurs won their last 14 games coming into this series. They were also well prepared because they were able to sweep their previous opponent, the Utah Jazz. Meanwhile, the Clippers were coming off a tough seven-game series against the Memphis Grizzlies and had to play Game 1 just 2 days after the Game 7 ended. Game 1 was close as the teams were tied coming into the 2nd quarter. However, the Spurs quickly took control in the 2nd and 3rd quarters as they defeated the Clippers, 108–92, and took a 1–0 series lead.


2012 NBA playoffs, Conference Semifinals, Western Conference Semifinals, (1) San Antonio Spurs vs. (5) Los Angeles Clippers
Game 2 then saw a Spurs team taking control in the second half to defeat the Clippers and take a 2–0 lead. Going to Los Angeles for a back-to-back Games 3 and 4, the Clippers looked confident to defeat the Spurs, as they quickly took a 40–16 lead with 9:17 to go in the 2nd. However, the Spurs quickly cut the lead to 7 with 36.4 seconds before the half, with the half ending with a 10-point Clipper lead.


2012 NBA playoffs, Conference Semifinals, Western Conference Semifinals, (1) San Antonio Spurs vs. (5) Los Angeles Clippers
Then, with the Clippers holding on to a 12-point lead with 9:39 to go in the 3rd, the Spurs unleashed a ferocious 24–0 run to take a 69–57 lead with 2 minutes to go in the 3rd. The Clippers never got closer than seven down the stretch as they watched the Spurs take a commanding 3–0 lead in the series. Game 4 was a close one, with the Clippers leading for much of the fourth quarter before the Spurs took the lead on a Duncan hook shot.


2012 NBA playoffs, Conference Semifinals, Western Conference Semifinals, (1) San Antonio Spurs vs. (5) Los Angeles Clippers
Then, in the final moments of the game, Paul made several mistakes, a bad pass and an off-balanced jump shot that missed, that ultimately led to Clippers' demise. Following Parker's free-throw that extended the Spurs' lead to 3, the Clippers had one last chance. However, out of timeouts, the Clippers were forced to take a long inbound pass. Mo Williams managed to catch the ball but was unable to get a shot off as the Spurs completed the sweep of the Clippers. The Spurs became just the fourth team to go 8–0 through the first two rounds of the playoffs.


2012 NBA playoffs, Conference Semifinals, Western Conference Semifinals, (1) San Antonio Spurs vs. (5) Los Angeles Clippers
This was the first playoff meeting between the Clippers and the Spurs.


2012 NBA playoffs, Conference Semifinals, Western Conference Semifinals, (2) Oklahoma City Thunder vs. (3) Los Angeles Lakers
Much like the Spurs-Clippers series, the series featured a team that swept their first round opponents and another team that were coming off a tough seven-game series. As such, the Thunder had the advantage in Game 1. The result was a convincing 29-point blowout by the Thunder to the Lakers. The Thunder quickly took control through the first three quarters and stretched their lead to as high as 35. Game 2 was much closer, with the Lakers shocking the Thunder by leading by 7 with 2 minutes to go that would seemingly tie the series at 1.


2012 NBA playoffs, Conference Semifinals, Western Conference Semifinals, (2) Oklahoma City Thunder vs. (3) Los Angeles Lakers
However, the Lakers would fail to keep the lead, with the Thunder eventually going on a 9–0 run to take a 2–0 series lead. In Game 3, the Lakers collaborated on both ends to prevent the Thunder from taking a 3–0 lead putting them back into the series. Game 4 saw the Lakers start strong, taking a 10-point lead at halftime. They were able to have a 13-point lead in the fourth. However, Thunder outscored the Lakers 25–9 the rest of the way to take a 3–1 series lead, putting the Lakers into the brink of elimination.


2012 NBA playoffs, Conference Semifinals, Western Conference Semifinals, (2) Oklahoma City Thunder vs. (3) Los Angeles Lakers
With the score tied at 98, Russell Westbrook committed a crucial turnover when he slipped and lost the ball. However, Pau Gasol's pass was taken by Durant, setting up Durant's 3-pointer that gave the Thunder the lead for good. The Lakers still had one last chance to tie but Kobe Bryant's three missed, with Harden hitting two free-throws to effectively seal the deal. In Game 5, Lakers were able to keep the game close throughout the first three quarters before the Thunder closed the series on a flurry, starting with two threes by Kevin Durant. The Lakers were not able to respond as they watched the Thunder take the series, 4–1, to send the Lakers back home for the second straight season in the Conference Semifinals.


2012 NBA playoffs, Conference Semifinals, Western Conference Semifinals, (2) Oklahoma City Thunder vs. (3) Los Angeles Lakers
This was the ninth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Lakers winning six of the first eight meetings.


2012 NBA playoffs, Conference Finals, Eastern Conference Finals, (2) Miami Heat vs. (4) Boston Celtics
This series marked the third straight year that the Heat and Celtics faced each other in the playoffs. They faced each other in the Eastern Conference First Round in 2010 (won by the Celtics, 4–1) and in the Eastern Conference Semifinals in 2011 (won by the Heat, 4–1). In addition, LeBron faced the Celtics for the third straight year in the playoffs. The LeBron-led Cavs also faced the Celtics in 2010 only to be defeated 4–2, which led to James' arrival on the Heat.


2012 NBA playoffs, Conference Finals, Eastern Conference Finals, (2) Miami Heat vs. (4) Boston Celtics
In Game 1, the Celtics started poorly, scoring only 11 points in the first quarter. The Heat had a 10-point lead after 1. The Celtics were hot in the second, scoring 35 points en route to tying the game at halftime. Behind a big second half, the Heat eventually defeated the Celtics 93–79 to take a 1–0 series lead. Game 2 was very different, with the Celtics starting very strong. Midway through the second quarter, a Rondo jumper extended their lead to 15. However, the Heat cut it to 7 at halftime. Miami had another big 3rd quarter.


2012 NBA playoffs, Conference Finals, Eastern Conference Finals, (2) Miami Heat vs. (4) Boston Celtics
With the Celtics up 71–66 with 4:24 left in the third, a block by Wade on Allen ignited a 15–4 run by the Heat to end the quarter, as they took a 6-point lead heading into the fourth. The fourth quarter was close. With Miami leading 99–96 with 34 seconds left, Allen made a 3 to tie it. It eventually sent the game to OT, with James missing two chances to win the game. Miami eventually won 115–111 to take a 2–0 series lead. Rondo led the Celtics with a career-high 44 points, along with 8 rebounds and 10 assists.


2012 NBA playoffs, Conference Finals, Eastern Conference Finals, (2) Miami Heat vs. (4) Boston Celtics
There was controversy in regards to the officiating as the Heat shot 18 more free throws, the Celtics committed 33 fouls to the Heat's 18, as well as a play in overtime in a tie game where Rondo was hit in the head by Wade and no foul was called, leading to a fast break dunk for Udonis Haslem. In Game 3, the Celtics got strong performances from Rondo, Garnett, and Pierce. LeBron was also hot in the first quarter, scoring 16 points and making 7 of his first 9 shots.


2012 NBA playoffs, Conference Finals, Eastern Conference Finals, (2) Miami Heat vs. (4) Boston Celtics
However, despite this performance, the second and third quarters were decisive, with the Celtics outscoring the Heat a combined 55–35 in the two quarters as they had an 85–63 lead heading into the fourth. Miami made a comeback, hitting 3's and dunks to cut the lead to 8. However, Boston held on for a 101–91 victory to make it 2–1. Game 4 was the same story, with the Celtics hitting several 3's and putting on a lead as big as 18. Miami tried another comeback in the third and fourth quarters. Unlike Game 3, they took the lead.


2012 NBA playoffs, Conference Finals, Eastern Conference Finals, (2) Miami Heat vs. (4) Boston Celtics
Boston answered back, holding a 3-point lead in the final minute before James hit a 3 to tie it with 36 seconds left. This led to the second overtime game of the series. It was a low-scoring affair in OT, with both teams only making one field goal. With 4:22 left, Pierce fouled out, giving Miami a big chance. However, James fouled out with 1:51 left.


2012 NBA playoffs, Conference Finals, Eastern Conference Finals, (2) Miami Heat vs. (4) Boston Celtics
The Celtics still held a 2-point lead in the dying seconds, but Wade missed a potential game-winning 3 at the buzzer, giving the Celtics a 93–91 win to tie the series going back to Miami. Celtics proceeded to lead the series, 3–2, with a 94–90 win in Game 5. In the game, Bosh returned for the first time since he got injured in Game 1 of the Heat-Pacers series but was not much of a help on the offensive end. He came off the bench in the game and scored 9 points and grabbed 7 rebounds in 14 minutes played.


2012 NBA playoffs, Conference Finals, Eastern Conference Finals, (2) Miami Heat vs. (4) Boston Celtics
With the Celtics leading by 1 with less than a minute to go, Pierce knocked down a crucial three-pointer that gave the Celtics the lead for good. The Heat prevented a celebration from happening in Game 6 with a 98–79 blowout win at Boston to send the series back to Miami for a seventh and deciding game. James had one of his best playoff games, scoring 45 points and getting 15 rebounds, 30 of his 45 came in the first half alone. In Game 7, the Celtics started strong.


2012 NBA playoffs, Conference Finals, Eastern Conference Finals, (2) Miami Heat vs. (4) Boston Celtics
In the second quarter, Garnett picked up his third foul, giving the Heat a chance to try and take a lead. However, Bass led a run that pushed the Celtics' lead to 11. The Celtics would still have a 7-point lead at halftime. The third quarter was decisive once again, letting the Heat tie the game going to the fourth quarter, which was even more decisive. With the Celtics leading by 1 with 8 minutes left, James had a dunk that gave the Heat the lead. It was soon followed by Bosh's third three-pointer of the night (a career-high three 3 pointers) that gave the Heat the lead for good. The Celtics never recovered as the Heat booked a return trip to the Finals with a 101–88 Game 7 win in Miami.


2012 NBA playoffs, Conference Finals, Eastern Conference Finals, (2) Miami Heat vs. (4) Boston Celtics
This was the third playoff meeting between these two teams, with each team winning one series apiece.


2012 NBA playoffs, Conference Finals, Western Conference Finals, (1) San Antonio Spurs vs. (2) Oklahoma City Thunder
This series would mark only the second time in the last seven years that the top two seeds from the Western Conference faced each other in the Conference Finals. Game 1 would be close, with the Thunder taking a 9-point lead going to the fourth, looking poised to give the Spurs their first loss of the postseason. However, the Spurs took control on both ends in the fourth quarter to stay perfect in the playoffs. In Game 2, the Spurs started strong, at one point in the third quarter taking a 22-point lead.


2012 NBA playoffs, Conference Finals, Western Conference Finals, (1) San Antonio Spurs vs. (2) Oklahoma City Thunder
The Thunder would try to climb back in the fourth quarter, eventually cutting the lead to 6 in the fourth quarter. However, the Spurs would answer every run, en route to a 120–111 win over the Thunder and a 2–0 series lead. Manu Ginobili sealed the deal by hitting a three-pointer that extended the Spurs' lead to 10 with about a minute and a half to go. With the win, the Spurs extended their 2012 playoff record to 10–0. This win also marked the Spurs' 20th consecutive win, tied for the 3rd longest winning streak in NBA history.


2012 NBA playoffs, Conference Finals, Western Conference Finals, (1) San Antonio Spurs vs. (2) Oklahoma City Thunder
It is also the longest winning streak that was carried from the regular season and into the playoffs. In Game 3, the Spurs were no match for the Thunder. Behind their thunder blue home crowd, the Thunder blew out the Spurs, 102–82, to give them their first 2012 postseason loss. Game 4 was much closer. In the fourth quarter, Kevin Durant scored half of his 36 points as the Thunder tied the series with a 109–103 win over the Spurs. In Game 5, the Thunder started strong, at one point in the second quarter taking a 13-point lead.


2012 NBA playoffs, Conference Finals, Western Conference Finals, (1) San Antonio Spurs vs. (2) Oklahoma City Thunder
The Spurs would still come back in the second half. Fueled by two threes from Ginobili, the Spurs took the lead back. However, the Thunder eventually outscored the Spurs 25–12 for the rest of the quarter to take a 9-point lead heading to the fourth quarter. After a Harden 4-point play that gave the Thunder another 13-point lead, things began to unravel as the Spurs staged an 11–0 run through the next 4 minutes to bring them back into the game.


2012 NBA playoffs, Conference Finals, Western Conference Finals, (1) San Antonio Spurs vs. (2) Oklahoma City Thunder
Then, with the Thunder holding on for a 103–101 lead with 28 seconds left, Harden came up big by hitting a crucial three-pointer to give the Thunder a 5-point lead. The Spurs would not give up. Following a Ginobili layup shot that cut the lead to 3, a fullcourt press by the Spurs forced a Thunder turnover, giving them a chance to tie the game. However, Ginobili missed a  three-pointer that sealed a 3–2 lead for the Thunder.


2012 NBA playoffs, Conference Finals, Western Conference Finals, (1) San Antonio Spurs vs. (2) Oklahoma City Thunder
In Game 6, the Spurs dominated early, outscoring the Thunder by 14 in the first quarter and holding a 15-point lead at halftime. Their largest lead of the game was 18. However the Thunder rallied in the 3rd quarter, outscoring the Spurs 32–18. With a few clutch shots by Derek Fisher and James Harden, the Thunder booked a trip to the Finals with a 107–99 comeback win over the Spurs. With the win, the Thunder advanced to the NBA Finals for the first time since moving from Seattle in 2008 and the franchise's first appearance in the NBA Finals since 1996, when the franchise was known as the Seattle SuperSonics.


2012 NBA playoffs, Conference Finals, Western Conference Finals, (1) San Antonio Spurs vs. (2) Oklahoma City Thunder
This was the fourth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Spurs winning the first three meetings. All previous meetings took place while the Thunder franchise were still known as the Seattle SuperSonics.


2012 NBA playoffs, NBA Finals: (W2) Oklahoma City Thunder vs. (E2) Miami Heat
This was the first playoff meeting between the Heat and the Thunder.


2012 NBL All-Star Game
The 2012 National Basketball League All-Star Game was held at the 8,000 seat Adelaide Arena in Adelaide, South Australia on 22 December 2012. The game was won by the South All-Stars,  134 points to the North All-Stars 114. Melbourne Tigers shooting guard Chris Goulding electrified the 4,523 in attendance, scoring 24 points (including several Slam dunks), grabbing 5 rebounds and handing out 4 assists on his way to winning the game's MVP award. The game was broadcast on Network Ten in Australia and it was the first NBL All-Star Game since 2007/08.


2012 NBL All-Star Game
The game was played between the South All-Stars – represented by players from the Adelaide 36ers, Melbourne Tigers, New Zealand Breakers and Perth Wildcats – and the North All-Stars – represented by players from the Cairns Taipans, Sydney Kings, Townsville Crocodiles and Wollongong Hawks. Starters from both teams were announced on 6 December 2012, while the reserves were named on 13 December. Australian basketball fans selected both starting lineups via the NBL website while the NBL selected the reserves.


2012 NBL All-Star Game
As the game was played in Adelaide, the South All-Stars was designated the "home" team and were coached by dual and reigning NBL championship winning coach, Andrej Lemanis of the New Zealand Breakers, whilst the North All-Stars were coached by Wollongong Hawks head coach Gordie McLeod. The coaches were decided upon due to the Breakers and Hawks having the best records of the teams representing the North and South following Round 9 of the 2012–13 NBL season. NBL Hall of Fame members Mark Davis (South) and Cal Bruton (North) were named as the assistant coaches.


2012 NBL All-Star Game, Line-up, South All-Stars
Head Coach: Andrej Lemanis (New Zealand Breakers)Assistant Coach: Mark Davis


2012 NBL All-Star Game, Line-up, South All-Stars, Starters
*Daniel Johnson was selected as a starter for the South Stars after Perth Wildcats centre Matthew Knight was ruled out with a torn calf muscle. *Jonny Flynn was selected as a starter for the South Stars after Perth Wildcats guard Kevin Lisch was ruled out with a groin injury.


2012 NBL All-Star Game, Line-up, South All-Stars, Reserves
*Jason Cadee was added to the South Stars bench after starter Kevin Lisch withdrew with injury and was replaced as a starter by Jonny Flynn. *Stephen Weigh was added to the South Stars bench after Anthony Petrie withdrew with a back injury.


2012 NBL All-Star Game, Line-up, North All-Stars, Reserves
*Peter Crawford was added to the North All-Stars bench after Sydney Kings centre Ian Crosswhite withdrew with an ankle injury. *Jamar Wilson was added to the North All-Stars bench after Sydney Kings guard Corin Henry was forced to withdraw after collapsing at a Kings practice and being taken to hospital.


2012 NBL All-Star Game, Slam Dunk Competition
The Slam Dunk Competition was contested by the following players:


2012 NBL All-Star Game, Slam Dunk Competition
Mitch Creek (Adelaide 36ers) was originally selected to take part in the competition but suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon on 15 December against the Townsville Crocodiles. 36ers team mate Pero Vasiljevic who originally named as the reserve but has declined to take part. The NBL called up Bennie Lewis (Melbourne Tigers) as the replacement after an extensive social media campaign by Tigers fans.


2012 NBL All-Star Game, 3 Point Shootout
In 2012 the 3-Point Shootout made its return to the NBL All-Star day. It was fought out between the following 5 players:


2012 NBL Canada draft
The 2012 NBL Canada Draft was held on August 27, 2012, at the Rogers Centre. A total of 24 players were selected, in three rounds. Robert Curtis was selected with the first overall pick by the Windsor Express, to be traded to the Saint John Mill Rats, for fifth pick Mike Helms and the rights of Isaac Kuon.


2012 NBT Cup
The 2012 NBT Cup (National Bank of Tuvalu Cup) was the 7th edition of Tuvalu's national football knockout tournament, known as the NBT Cup. The tournament began on 28 July 2012 and finished on 25 August 2012. All eight clubs participated. The Defending champions were FC Tofaga.


2012 NBT Cup
The winner Tofaga A, who 2-1 won against Manu Laeva A.


2012 NBT Cup, Top goalscorers, Awards, Best Player
The best player for the tournament was Foliaki Tofuola of Manu Laeva A.


2012 NC State Wolfpack football team
The 2012 NC State Wolfpack football team represented North Carolina State University in the 2012 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Wolfpack were led by sixth year head coach Tom O'Brien and played their home games at Carter–Finley Stadium. They were members of the Atlantic Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference. The Wolfpack participated in the Music City Bowl and were defeated by Vanderbilt 24–38.


2012 NC State Wolfpack football team
On November 25, 2012, the university announced that it had fired Tom O'Brien as head coach of the Wolfpack after failing to live up the expectations during his six years at the position.


2012 NCAA Bowling Championship
The 2012 NCAA Bowling Championship was the ninth annual tournament to determine the national champion of women's NCAA collegiate ten-pin bowling. The tournament was played at Freeway Lanes in Wickliffe, Ohio from April 13–14, 2012.


2012 NCAA Bowling Championship
Maryland Eastern Shore defeated Fairleigh Dickinson in the championship match, 4 games to 2 (222–204, 236–215, 167–249, 208–168, 170–223, 203–176), to win their third, and second consecutive, national title. The Hawks were coached by Kristina Frahm, who also the Most Outstanding Player of UMES' 2011 championship team.


2012 NCAA Bowling Championship
Maryland Eastern Shore's T'nia Falbo was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player. Falbo, along with four other bowlers, also comprised the All Tournament Team.


2012 NCAA Bowling Championship, Qualification
Since there is only one national collegiate championship for women's bowling, all NCAA bowling programs (whether from Division I, Division II, or Division III) were eligible. A total of 8 teams were invited to contest this championship, which consisted of a modified double-elimination style tournament.


2012 NCAA Division I Baseball Tournament
The 2012 NCAA Division I Baseball Tournament began on Friday, June 1, 2012 as part of the 2012 NCAA Division I baseball season. The 64 team double elimination tournament concluded with the 2012 College World Series in Omaha, Nebraska, starting on June 15 and ending on June 25.


2012 NCAA Division I Baseball Tournament
The 64 NCAA Division I college baseball teams were selected out of an eligible 297 teams. Thirty teams were awarded an automatic bid as champions of their conferences, and 34 teams were selected at-large by the NCAA Division I Baseball Committee.


2012 NCAA Division I Baseball Tournament, Bids, Automatic bids
Conference champions from 30 Division I conferences earned automatic bids to regionals. The remaining 34 spots were awarded to schools as at-large invitees.


2012 NCAA Division I Baseball Tournament, National seeds
These eight teams would automatically host a Super Regional had they advanced to that round. Only North Carolina failed to advance out of its regional.


2012 NCAA Division I Baseball Tournament, Regionals and Super Regionals, Eugene Super Regional
†Purdue hosted at the U.S. Steel Yard in Gary, Indiana, due to the construction delays of the Boilermaker's new stadium, Alexander Field.


2012 NCAA Division I Baseball Tournament, College World Series, All-Tournament Team
The following players were members of the College World Series All-Tournament Team.


2012 NCAA Division I Baseball Tournament, Record by conference
The columns RF, SR, WS, NS, CS, and NC respectively stand for the Regional Finals, Super Regionals, College World Series, National Semifinals, Championship Series, and National Champion.


2012 NCAA Division I Baseball Tournament, Media coverage, Radio
NRG Media, in conjunction with the Dial Global Sports/NCAA Radio Network provided nationwide radio coverage of the College World Series. Kevin Kugler and John Bishop called all games leading up to the Championship Series. It would be the first time John Bishop would call College World Series games for Dial Global Sports. The championship series would be called by Kugler and Scott Graham.


2012 NCAA Division I Baseball Tournament, Media coverage, Selection shows
The NCAA Division I Road to Omaha Selection Show aired on ESPN on May 28, 2012.


2012 NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships
The 2012 NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships were the 74th annual NCAA Men's Division I Cross Country Championship and the 32nd annual NCAA Women's Division I Cross Country Championship to determine the team and individual national champions of NCAA Division I men's and women's collegiate cross country running in the United States. In all, four different titles were contested: men's and women's individual and team championships.


2012 NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships
Held on November 17, 2012, the combined meet was hosted by the University of Louisville at E. P. "Tom" Sawyer State Park in Louisville, Kentucky. The distance for the men's race was 10 kilometers (6.21 miles) while the distance for the women's race was 6 kilometers (3.73 miles).


2012 NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships
The men's team championship was won by Oklahoma State (72 points), the Cowboys' third overall and third in four years. The women's team championship was won by Oregon (114 points), the Ducks' third and first since 1987.


2012 NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships
The two individual champions were, for the men, Kennedy Kithuka (Texas Tech, 28:31.3) and, for the women, Betsy Saina (Iowa State, 19:27.9).