The Lakers took their foot off the gas in game three, as has been their modus operandi this year. With two of the Heat’s starters and two of their three best players, Goran Dragic and Bam Adebayo out for games’ two and three, it seemed like we would get an anti-climactic NBA Finals that ended in a sweep. But two things happened: the Lakers let their foot off the gas, and Jimmy Butler said ‘no f—ing way.’ Butler, who has been the culture setter of Miami’s unlikely playoff run, dropped a 40 point triple-double in the Heat’s 115-104 win, joining Jerry West and his opponents LeBron James as the only three players to accomplish that feat.
Now, game four feels like a game seven. It is possible that the Lakers just let up a little and will turn it back on Tuesday and run the Heat out of Orlando, or if the Heat can get Adebayo or Dragic back for game three and give the Heat a much-needed boost then this could become a real series very fast.
The Lakers have had a relatively easy path to the Finals, and it seemed like they were going to have as easy of a title as you can get. But this Heat team is tough. Very tough. And if they can win game four, they will not be going away. LeBron doesn’t seem too worried. “I know how resilient that bunch is and how resilient that coaching staff is and their franchise,” James said. “Also, I don’t feel like we’re concerned. We’re not concerned. We know we can play a lot better. We have another opportunity to take a commanding lead on Tuesday.” But maybe he should be.
