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LAKE BUENA VISTA, Florida – The Lakers’ Anthony Davis and Miami’s Jae Crowder finished on the court midway through the third quarter of Game Five of the NBA Finals. As Davis scrambled to his feet, his right elbow swung toward Crowder’s face.
Crowder was unfazed.
The moment epitomized what Friday was like: The Los Angeles Lakers, even when they were seconds away from winning a championship, couldn’t eliminate the Miami Heat. LeBron James was brilliant for the Lakers with 40 points, Jimmy Butler was just as brilliant if not more so for the Heat with a 35-point triple-double, and Miami survived to send the title series to Game 6 on Sunday (Manila time Monday). ). .
“We’re not going to back down,” Butler said. “We are not running away.”
Everything continues to favor the Lakers. They lead the series 3-2. James hasn’t been a part of losing two possible closing games in the same series since 2006, his first postseason year. The Heat still don’t have starting point guard Goran Dragic due to a foot injury, a torn left plantar fascia.
They are the most unflappable.
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“Everybody told us from the start of the playoffs,” said Heat rookie guard Tyler Herro. “We don’t really care what people have to say.”
Miami continued to find ways in Game Five to keep the series, and its season, alive, then took a break in the closing seconds when the Lakers’ Danny Green missed an open triple that could have handed over the NBA title and Markieff Morris threw. the ball after the offensive rebound.
The Heat have spoken since the NBA Finals began about the need to play near-perfect basketball against the Lakers. And now James, who has spoken with great respect for his former franchise throughout the series, indicated that the Lakers may be feeling something similar.
“One thing about this team that we’re playing against is that they make you pay for every mistake,” James said after Game 5. “It’s the same as when I was playing Golden State all those years, you make a mistake, they make you pay. So we have to understand that.”
James is about to set the record for NBA playoff appearances. He is already the top scorer in playoff history. Has more wins. Most robberies. Most shooting attempts. Most free throws taken.
Here’s a record that I didn’t want.
As good as he is, James still needs help. No one has had more 40-point NBA Finals games in a loss than he has – the record-setting fifth inning on that list Friday in Miami’s 111-108 win. In fact, James’ last three efforts in 40-point finishes – two against the Warriors in 2017 and 2018 and now against Miami in Game Five – ended in losses.
“Take a step forward in the big moments,” Lakers guard Alex Caruso said. “It’s a shame we couldn’t make one more play for him, defensively or offensively, to help him, because he was giving everything.”
His everything was not enough.
The Lakers have two big clearings in James and Davis, who combined for 68 points. The Lakers were 14-1 when they each scored 28 or more in the same game; 5-0 when they combined for at least 68 points. The Heat avoided them by playing with seven players and getting the balance; Butler had a 35-point triple-double to lead the way, five of the other six scoring in double digits led by Duncan Robinson’s 26.
During his four years in Miami, James helped improve the Heat.
He’s doing the same now, with the Heat knowing it will take all to claim this championship.
“Well, we have one goal: we are fighting for a title,” said Heat coach Erik Spoelstra. “That’s what it’s going to take and our guys get it. Through the first two games of this series we realized, ‘Okay, this is a different level, we’re going to have to get to a higher level.’ Our guys are extremely competitive, so this level of play that the Lakers have brought in is bringing out something different. “
The Lakers had a three-point lead midway through the fourth quarter of Game Five and let it slip away. They led by one after a Davis basket with 21.8 seconds left and were one stop away from winning the title; Davis ended up fouling Butler, a call the Lakers said shouldn’t have been made. The NBA disagreed Saturday, saying Butler was fouled on the play.
“We are motivated to win Game Six and they are motivated to win Game Six,” Davis said. “It will not be easy, but we hope to win.”
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