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DOWN 0-2 and hoping to be without two key starters, the Miami Heat remains defiant as they await Game 3 of the NBA Finals against the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday night in the NBA bubble near Orlando.
“We don’t give what everyone thinks,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said after Friday’s 124-114 loss in Game 2. What is needed? Whatever is needed. Simple as that. If you want something enough, you will figure it out. Our group is stubborn and persistent, and we just need to figure out how to beat this opponent. “
Without Bam Adebayo (neck) and Goran Dragic (foot) on Friday, Miami showed courage by avoiding being knocked down in the way Game 1 unfolded, when the Heat trailed by as much as 32 points. Jimmy Butler led the way with 25 points, 13 assists and eight rebounds in 45 minutes, and Kelly Olynyk was a surprise off the bench with 24 points and nine rebounds.
The Heat may need that one and more on Sunday, as Adebayo and Dragic, two of the team’s top three scorers in these playoffs, are listed as doubtful.
“We will never give up,” Butler said. “We’re going to fight, and we’re going to ride this thing until the wheels come off. It has not finished. We are down 0-2; we have to do something special. “
For the Lakers, the key is doing more of the same.
Los Angeles has dominated the first two games, beating and rebounding Miami. The Western Conference champions have been potent both in the paint and from long range, and show little sign of slowing down with LeBron James and Anthony Davis leading the way.
“Those guys are playing at an extremely high level and hopefully we can get two more wins,” said coach Frank Vogel.
Davis is averaging 33 points and 11.5 rebounds in the first two games, and James is right behind with 29 and 11. The dynamic duo has prompted comparisons to Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal, who combined to win three consecutive championships for the Lakers. from 2000-02.
“Being in the conversation with those two guys, me and AD, is very humbling, because I grew up watching those guys,” James said. “… It is very humiliating that we can be mentioned with those greats.”
Before the Finals, the Heat had not lost two straight games in the entire postseason. Miami entered the 12-3 series after going through the Eastern Conference.
The last time a team came back from 0-2 to win the Finals was in 2016, when James’ Cleveland Cavaliers accomplished the feat against the Golden State Warriors. As such, Los Angeles has yet to rule out Miami.
“Until we win four games, we haven’t achieved our goal,” Lakers guard Alex Caruso said. “It has been more than a year together, and we have talked about the same goal from day one. We are still here pursuing the same goal. Until we get four victories, we will remain hungry. ” Reuters
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