"You have to get a feel for how hard Miami plays. Spoelstra ran zone just four times in the first half on Wednesday, during the time Game 1 was actually a contest, and it was limp. None of that was apparent in Wednesday's contest, outside of the opening few minutes. “It’s been like this for a very long time” said Miami All-Star Jimmy Butler, who will be guarding LeBron for at least portions of the Finals. The Lakers made a franchise-record 11 first-half 3-pointers. LAKERS SIZE AND ATHLETICISM The Lakers are huge, yet also fast, and will once again have physical advantages against a Miami team that’s gone small, if not quite as small as Houston due to Bam Adebayo’s relative size to PJ Tucker. L.A. cruised through the Western Conference with three consecutive 4-1 series wins towards a 12-3 record that Miami matched in the East. All rights reserved. Spoelstra might have to reexamine that choice, especially if Dragic's injury forces Kendrick Nunn back into the rotation and leaves another defender to attack. It turned out to be their driving force as the Lakers powered through the Western Conference, and it was the key to Los Angeles' emphatic Game 1 victory. If anything, Crowder's physicality seemed to draw more physicality out of the Lakers, as they came out of halftime with tremendous intensity to break the game open. Coach Spo has opted to start Bam at the 5, leaving 7’0’’ Meyers Leonard out of the rotation, and at 6’9’’ Bam is Miami’s tallest player. They do a hell of a job moving the ball, passing, cutting.”. The Lakers controlled the boards, outrebounding Miami 54-36. Then James threw down a powerful, two-handed reverse dunk after the halftime buzzer that should make every postgame highlight show (even though the shot didn't count). That’s not a big discrepancy, certainly not compared to L.A.’s advantage in points in the paint, where they average 49.6 compared to Miami’s 39.9. That strategy has worked on physically dominant players in the past, but in this case, it backfired. Determined to keep Adebayo out of foul trouble -- which didn't work -- Spoelstra had a series of smaller defenders start possessions on Anthony Davis. Lakers teammate Anthony Davis came over to defend James, standing nose-to-nose with Crowder after the play in which James seemed to hurt his shoulder. "I don't think in the beginning we were physical enough," James said. The Los Angeles Lakers made a loud statement with Wednesday's 116-98 win over the Miami Heat in Game 1 of the NBA Finals. Before the first quarter was over, Butler, Jae Crowder, Duncan Robinson, Andre Iguodala and Solomon Hill had tried and mostly failed to handle Davis, who crushed the strategy. 11:25 p.m. — Not a huge shocker, but Goran Dragic and Bam Adebayo are both out for the rest of Game 1, per ESPN’s Rachel Nichols. Watch Miami Heat vs LA Lakers full game replay,Game 1 NBA Finals season 2020,nba final in HD FREE,nba hd replays full match Butler and Adebayo need to match their output from the previous three playoff series. There are plenty of storylines in this NBA Finals, but none is bigger than the Lakers trying … Privacy Act, please use the links below to visit each company’s privacy center. In two games against Miami in the regular season, Davis was a particular problem. The Lakers take a 3-1 edge into Friday’s Game 5 with a chance to end the bubble experience for everyone. After the Heat rushed to a 23-10 lead at the 5:38 mark of the first quarter, 10 of the next 12 Los Angeles points came via Rajon Rondo (jumper) and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (two 3-pointers and two free throws). Lakers vs. Heat, Finals Game 1: Three Things to Know (9/30/20) by Mike Trudell. Lakers Reporter. If Adebayo misses time or is limited in any way, it's hard to see how Miami can even slow Davis in this series. But then Adebayo appeared to aggravate a left shoulder injury that he sustained in the conference finals. His defense sets the tone. | Yes, Heat center Bam Adebayo exited in the second half with an injury. Davis had seven buckets in the restricted area alone, and 26 of his 34 points came in the paint or at the foul line. Davis may or may not end up as the MVP of this series, but he was unstoppable in Game 1. A post shared by Mike Trudell (@miketrudell) on Sep 29, 2020 at 4:22pm PDT, Copyright © 2021 NBA Media Ventures, LLC. “For what he’s meant to me, he has empowered this whole group just buying into the plan that we had, with how we wanted to play this year, and getting the whole group to buy in. the NBA Privacy Center, it will apply to data controlled independently by the NBA. The Lakers, though, have gone the other way, playing a massive front line with LeBron James, Anthony Davis and either JaVale McGee or Dwight Howard in their frontcourt. And he might have to look at being faster and more aggressive in sending the double-teams, rolling the dice that the Lakers' supporting cast won't shoot as well in Game 2. No matter what lineup Frank Vogel went with in the Western Conference playoffs, his team was always big, always long, and always athletic. Markieff Morris hit a 3-pointer off a Davis pass. “If you want to win, you’ll have to go through a LeBron James-led team … Obviously you can’t just focus on him because he has so many really good players around him, but you’re going to get the same test over and over again until you pass, and that test is LeBron James.”, LeBron, of course, has a deep connection to Miami, where he won his first two titles in 2012 and 2013, under the legend Pat Riley and coach Eric Spoelstra, who continue run the Heat. It was a central reason why Herro was a horrific minus-30 in that first half and finished minus-35 for the game. Davis and James, though, create a set of problems that are hard to manage even when the opponent is totally healthy. FSM's Kyle Randolph previews Lakers vs Heat in Game 1 of the NBA Finals. Terms of Use | Coming into this postseason, it was fair to question whether Davis could thrive deep into the playoffs. Les équipes de James ont perdu le premier match de la série lors de huit de ses neuf voyages précédents en finale de la NBA, mais le début de mercredi soir pour la finale de 2020 contre le Miami Heat s’est déroulé aussi bien que James et les Lakers de Los Angeles auraient pu l’espérer. From that moment when it was 23-10, we started playing to our capabilities.". The key for L.A. has been how explosive they are at the rim on both sides of the court. He’s flanked by 6’6’’ Jae Crowder, 6’7’’ Jimmy Butler, 6’7’’ Duncan Robinson and 6’3’’ Goran Dragic. Obviously a Hall-of-Fame addition in Andre Iguodala. It remains unclear whether Miami even has a potential answer, especially with Bam Adebayo's injury status up in the air. Few defenders in the league can handle the Lakers' All-NBA big man, but Adebayo can at least match his blend of speed, size, strength and skill. Offensively, Howard and McGee are constant lob threats, while Davis and LeBron have lived in their opponent’s paint all postseason (and really, for their entire careers). Anthony Davis leads the playoffs in percentage in the restricted area (78.8%) with the 3rd-most buckets (63).Simply monstrous at the rim. The Lakers took a look at the Heat's plan to switch on all pick-and-rolls and then relentlessly hunted down mismatches. We’re going to have to be at our best to beat them.”. He was returned to rookie status as LeBron James repeatedly waved the player Herro was guarding over to set a screen and force Herro to switch onto him. LeBron James made only two field goals in the first half, but he dominated with seven assists that helped activate the Lakers' secret weapon: their role players. Miami's success is largely predicated on Adebayo's impact on both ends. The message was clear: Miami wasn't giving James anything easy. On offense, Miami's dribble handoff game is centered around Adebayo and his ability to set screens for the shooters and the threat of him diving to the basket. The Lakers outscored Miami by 23 points when Davis was on the floor; they were outscored by five when he was on the bench. He also secured his 15th win in his last 16 closeout games, which he attributes to an ability to match the desperation of the team that’s trailing. The Lakers counter with either JaVale McGee (7’0’’) or Dwight Howard (6’10’’) alongside Anthony Davis (6’10’’), LeBron James (6’9’’), Danny Green (6’6’’) and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (6’5’’), while Markieff Morris (6’8’’) has also started in “small” lineups. Posted: Sep 29, 2020. 1 — The Lakers are one win away from their 17th banner. With a masterful 38-point, 16-rebound, 10-assist Game 5 against Denver in the Western Conference Finals, LeBron James clinched a spot in the Finals, joining Kareem Abdul-Jabbar with his 10th appearance. If you make a request through the WarnerMedia Privacy Center, L.A. also had seven steals and eight blocks, as its size and length made the Heat look small and indecisive. Bam Adebayo was Miami's best player in the Eastern Conference finals against the Boston Celtics. “There is no extra meaning … it’s (hard enough to get there). Manage Preferences, A post shared by Mike Trudell (@miketrudell), Championship Press Conference: Alex Caruso | Lakers, Championship Press Conference: Markieff Morris | Lakers, Championship Press Conference: Frank Vogel | Lakers, Championship Press Conference: Anthony Davis | Lakers. If James and Davis continue to draw the defense and set up teammates for wide-open shots, this Lakers team becomes nearly impossible to beat. This site is operated jointly by NBA and WarnerMedia. James yelled out some choice words to Crowder as he left the court. Lakers vs. Heat Game 1 Game Day March 27, 2021 fan talk, discussions & reactions 35 comments By the time the quarter ended with an Alex Caruso 3-pointer, the Lakers were up by three. For Miami to have a chance in this series, the Heat need that Adebayo healthy and ready to go. Anthony Davis' Finals debut was everything Lakers fans dreamed about when the team acquired him in the summer of 2019. Wednesday, April 7 A post shared by Los Angeles Lakers (@lakers) on Sep 26, 2020 at 9:05pm PDT. ESPN Stats & Info data indicates they made 10 of 15 3-point attempts that came directly off a pass. Accessibility and Closed Caption | This message was clearer: Neither James nor the Lakers would be intimidated by contact. LeBron leads the playoffs in buckets in the restricted area (87) on the 2nd-best percentage (75.7%). Leading into Game 1 of the Finals, the Heat had outscored opponents by 10.3 points per 100 possessions when those two were on the floor together. All-Star Bam Adebayo left in the third quarter with a shoulder strain, while guard Goran Dragic suffered a left foot injury before halftime. After all, in his previous seven years in the NBA, he had played only 13 playoff games and had never been out of the second round. Nine trips to the NBA Finals … in 10 years? They double-teamed him a few times, but Davis knew exactly what to do. For the Heat, the injuries have already piled up. Over 18 consecutive first-half minutes, James attacked Herro again and again. On the other hand, the Miami Heat dominated the Eastern Conference field in nearly identical fashion. “The way they move without the ball,” said LeBron about what stands out about Miami. Everything we learned about the Lakers-Heat Finals in Game 1, NBA experts debate: Big questions facing the Lakers and Nets right now, Harden (hamstring) available to play vs. Knicks, Bucks, Holiday reach deal worth up to $160M, George: Rondo enters as instant leader for Clips, Curry, Dubs search for answers after losing 7 of 8, Sources: AD responds to security guard's crash, Embiid nets 24 in return from 10-game absence. L.A. has active, long perimeter defenders who focus on not giving up clean looks from three, with Danny Green, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Alex Caruso doing the lion’s share of the chasing around screens, running off the line and closing out. But injuries were the story for Miami, even beyond the big man. The other will be with his coaching staff. This directly translated to the Lakers' dominance behind the arc. “Everybody has doubters, and to be in the Eastern Conference and get there as much as he had, now to come over to the Western Conference, I think is just an enourmous accomplishment to do it with a third team. Obviously a great part of why we’ve had this success, understanding that the job is not done.”. After almost twelve months in the waiting, a global pandemic that threatened to prevent the opportunity for a champion to be crowned, and one of the most entertaining playoffs in recent history, we are finally here. Heat coach Erik Spoelstra is going to have two difficult meetings on Thursday. NBA Finals, Lakers vs Heat Game 1 Preview mattblively 6 months ago 0 0 0 0 Read Time 3 Minute, 36 Second . Guard Goran Dragic, Miami's leading scorer in the postseason, suffered a plantar tear in his left foot and did not return. LeBron, who was a unanimous All-NBA First Team selection and runner up in the 2019-20 MVP voting that, surely, many folks in Los Angeles in particular think coulda/shoulda/woulda gone his way, was terrific from the opening tip of the season nearly one year ago. • Jazz at Suns, 10 p.m. on ESPNAll times Eastern. MORE: Watching Game 1 of the Finals with Chris Bosh. (Jimmy Butler rolled his left ankle in the second quarter but remained in the game.). NBA experts debate: Finals predictions and best play-in matchups, New NBA playoff projections: Likely winners in seeding, play-in races, Watching Game 1 of the Finals with Chris Bosh, powerful, two-handed reverse dunk after the halftime buzzer. The Lakers held them to a collective average of 11.9 makes per game, to rank third amongst postseason defenses. “Everyone is live … there isn’t one guy you can (ignore). View photos for Photos: Lakers vs. Heat Game 1 (9/30/20) NBA.com is part of Turner Sports Digital, part of the Turner Sports & Entertainment Digital Network. No portion of NBA.com may be duplicated, redistributed or manipulated in any form. I think they smacked us in the mouth. Miami can try that again, but James and the Lakers stood their ground in Game 1. LeBron James recorded 25 points, 13 rebounds and 9 assists, Anthony Davis added a game-high 34 points and 9 rebounds, and the 3-pointers were dropping for the Lakers, who turned an early 13-point deficit into a 32-point lead. But Davis is suddenly the leading postseason scorer on the team with a 1-0 lead in the Finals, and his Game 1 performance was a huge reason: 34 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists and 3 blocks in 38 minutes. A few minutes later, the Lakers were up 12 and moving quickly toward a blowout. These realities are among the reasons the Heat used a zone defense so much in the Eastern Conference finals against the Celtics, who had a bunch of multitalented players. Amidst all of that movement, the Lakers will need to be aware of both the rim, and the three, which they’ve been able to do throughout the regular season and the Western Conference playoffs. One is going to be what could be a bleak briefing from Dr. Harlan Selesnick, the team's orthopedist in the bubble who was very busy with injuries to Jimmy Butler, Goran Dragic and Bam Adebayo in Game 1. Below are three things to know ahead of Wednesday’s Game 1 tipoff: LEBRON’S FINALS LEGACY Teammates openly called him the heart and soul of the squad. To me, they have three All-Star level players in Butler, Bam and I’ve always thought Goran Dragic, when healthy, is an All-Star level player. Thus far, no team has been able to keep L.A. out of the paint, and the Lakers have hit enough shots on the perimeter to force at least a base level of defensive reaction. Summary and statistics for the 2020 NBA Finals - Heat vs. Lakers Miami ranks 8th in the postseason in threes made with 13.3 per game, two more than L.A.’s 11.3, and 11th in accuracy at 35.7 percent, compared to L.A.’s 35.5 percent. Instead, the Lakers played the game their way. They hit eight of their first 12 3-pointers, a solid effort by a team ranked 23rd in 3-point shooting percentage. The Kings are a 4.5-point favorite against the Lakers, according to the latest NBA odds. LeBron James n’est pas habitué aux jeux 1 comme ceux-ci. A post shared by Mike Trudell (@miketrudell) on Sep 29, 2020 at 2:41pm PDT. Miami took it to the Indiana Pacers in the first round, the Milwaukee Bucks in the second and the Celtics in the East finals, muscling opponents inside and dictating how the games would be played. Huh? LeBron acknowledged that will be a challenge against a Heat team in constant motion. Many of their looks were uncontested, with the team knocking down 8 of 12 open looks. NBA Privacy Center | “I feel like he has had a chip on his shoulder all year long,” said Frank Vogel after Game 5. If you’re able to be victorious out of the Finals, it doesn’t matter who it’s against.". LeBron and AD come through huge in the clutch. He went for 33 points on 11 of 20 shooting with 10 boards and three blocks in a 113-110 Dec. 13 win at Miami, and 26 points on 11 of 17 shooting with eight boards, seven assists, three blocks and two steals in a 95-80 win on Nov. 8 in L.A. Saluting some big-time series in the battle for the West, A post shared by Los Angeles Lakers (@lakers) on Sep 28, 2020 at 12:45pm PDT. The Heat's game plan against the Lakers collapsed even before a stunning rash of injuries ravaged their star players. Odds Money Line Point Spread Total Points; Indiana +155 +4.5: O 216.5: LA Lakers-189-4.5: U 216.5: Game Info. He hasn't been ruled out for the series, but his absence could have calamitous consequences for Miami. But that’s not really on his mind as he approaches Game 1.”, “Absolutely not,” he said before Tuesday’s practice when asked if it would mean any more to beat Miami. But this Heat team is different, with Andre Iguodala and Jae Crowder replacing Meyers Leonard and Kendrick Nunn in the rotation, and young players Tyler Herro and Duncan Robinson taking a leap. L.A.’s ability to control the paint on both ends of the floor has been pivotal to their ability to beat teams throughout the season, and should once again be key in this matchup with Miami. Poor Tyler Herro. Indeed, what LeBron really plays for is titles. For the 32nd time in NBA history, the Lakers advanced to the Finals, where they’ll face the Miami Heat. The LA Lakers have not been great this season on 3+ days of rest at 3-4 SU, 2-5 ATS in seven tries in that role. If you make a request through The oddsmakers were right in line with the betting community on this one, as the game … Their size and skill are just difficult to deal with, and it will look even more challenging in the harsh light of day. The Lakers do have a great deal of respect for Miami, as Vogel stated. Lakers: Kyle Kuzma scored 16 points, but went 1 for 9 on 3-pointers. Catch all the 2020-21 season action on ESPN, ABC and the ESPN App. If you go for the Heat on the moneyline, you’ll get odds of +180. In the regular season, Houston (16.9), Denver (12.3) and Portland (11.6) ranked 1st, 10th and 14th in 3-pointers made. A hurt Adebayo is no small matter. That effort must start at the rim. The Heat shouldn’t be discounted, as they have used their depth and tough defense to wreak all sorts of havoc in this year’s postseason. Coach Erik Spoelstra needs to take him off the floor right now. NBA Finals Game 1: Lakers vs Heat preview. Going forward, Miami must find a way to contain him if they have any chance of winning this thing. DEFENDING AND SHOOTING THE THREE Defensively, McGee, Davis, Howard and LeBron can all protect the paint as shot blockers that know how to use verticality. James and Davis set up their teammates with great passes in position to score. “They’re extremely well coached,” he said. Lakers vs. Heat updates, highlights from Game 1 (All times Eastern) Final: Lakers 116, Heat 98. The Los Angeles Lakers will face the Miami Heat in game one of the NBA Finals on Wednesday evening. To opt out of the sale of your personal information as permitted by the California Consumer Do Not Sell My Personal Information | And Spoelstra, who has excelled throughout his career at making in-season and in-series adjustments, will have as big of a challenge as he has ever faced. The Lakers go into game 1 as big favorites to make it 1-0, at -215 on the moneyline and -5 on the spread. Review the following information to learn more about your seating options for Miami Heat vs Los Angeles Lakers game on 4/8/2021 at American Airlines Arena. https://www.forbes.com/sites/alexkay/2020/09/30/nba-finals-2020- Game 1 of the 2020 NBA Finals is here, and although it has been a long wait to get to this stage, it has been worth it.. Two in-form sides will take to the Court in the Florida Bubble, with the favoured Los Angeles Lakers taking on the red hot Miami Heat, in Game 1 of the 2020 NBA Finals.. Jimmy Butler was hobbled early in the game with an ankle injury right before the half. So much respect for him and love for him. The Lakers made 10 of 13 field goals (including 6 of 9 3-pointers) off passes from James and Davis in the first half, according to ESPN Stats & Information research. Caruso got a layup off a James assist. But KCP, Rajon Rondo, Markieff Morris, Kuzma and the others did some serious heavy lifting for this Game 4 win. The film will have been reviewed, and the advanced stats, bloody as they may be, will be compiled into a report. American Airlines Arena Seating Guide Courtside - (Row AA of the VIP section) - Miami Heat floor seats are some of the most valuable seats in sports. NBA Power Rankings: Which reloaded teams are on the rise? Coach Frank Vogel has leaned into the Lakers' size, strength and toughness. The hope for Miami was he would continue on that upward trend. As far as Finals debuts go for the Lakers, this one is up there with a few big names. it will apply to data controlled jointly by the NBA and WarnerMedia as well as other data controlled by WarnerMedia. That trails only Bill Russell (12) and Sam Jones (11) from their Celtics days, when there were between eight and 12 teams for their entire runs through the late 1950’s and 1960’s. In O'Neal's prime, there was no way to stop the self-proclaimed "most dominant ever," except to try to push him around on every play and hope the referees would only call some of those fouls. https://www.espn.com/.../30011529/nba-finals-everything-learned- He led the Heat in points, rebounds, assists, steals and field goal percentage. In today's era of pace-and-space basketball, teams are trying to play smaller and quicker. pic.twitter.com/BF6YnoXElb. Shaquille O'Neal was in the virtual audience Wednesday night, and if anyone could relate to the physical exchanges between Heat forward Jae Crowder and Lakers forward LeBron James, it was O'Neal. But the physical domination of the Heat started well before his departure and likely wouldn't have stopped if he had remained in the game. Facebook; Twitter; For the 32nd time in NBA history, the Lakers … LA Lakers vs Miami Heat Pick: The Miami Heat are an outstanding 12-3 SU and ATS in the NBA Playoffs and they are a perfect 3-0 SU and ATS in Game 1 of a playoff series-winning and covering each time in Game 1 against Indiana, Milwaukee, and Boston in the first three rounds. While protecting the rim remains the highest priority for Frank Vogel’s defense, he’s also gotten the players to buy into conceding little from the 3-point line. Danny Green hit two 3-pointers, one assisted by James and the other by Anthony Davis. • Pelicans at Nets, 7:30 p.m. on ESPN In the second quarter, the Heat reclaimed the lead, 43-41, and again the Lakers' role players took control, scoring 13 of the next 16 points with the trust of their stars. Here's what our NBA experts were watching most closely in Game 1 and what it means for the series moving forward. The simplest way to sum up what happened over the rest of the opening half is this: Lakers 55, Heat 25. Yahoo Sports' Zach Schwartz shares his bets for the Lakers vs. Heat game. Rondo a MF… On Wednesday, the Heat will be the latest offense to try and find a hole in L.A.’s defense that hasn’t existed to this point. The Heat had previously been the aggressor throughout the Eastern Conference playoffs. Crowder tried to set that tone with James in Game 1, first wrestling with him on the floor for a loose ball and nearly ripping his right arm off in the process, then swatting the ball away from James after a dead ball so he couldn't go back up with a layup. LeBron James and co breezed through the Western Conference side of the playoff bracket on their way to the 2020 NBA Finals, ending each of their series in five games. WarnerMedia Privacy Center | Meanwhile, Miami will likely try and close up their paint make the Lakers hit jump shots. They have shooting, they have toughness … there’s no surprise that they’ve had such a successful postseason run. 11:20 p.m. — Jimmy Butler nearly turned his ankle again. But the Celtics didn't have a star big man. He was able to stay in the game to finish with 23 points. It’s not so much the raw height that matters, however. “They got a lot of ways that they can beat you.