Putting it gently, game 1 of the Finals was the worst finals game I’ve ever had the displeasure of watching. Could I be a bit biased still due to the fashion the Celtics lost in? Quite possibly, actually more than likely. Nevertheless, even if I was a fan of the Fort Wayne Mad Ants, in no way was that a fun basketball game to lay my eyes on. Whether it was a product of Lebron feeling out his opponent per usual or Goran Dragic going down, after the first 6 minutes or so, it was ALL Lakers. The vicious Heat zone that terrorized the Celtics last round, was completely non-existent as Lebron and AD just tore through it possession after possession. The Heat shooters that are usually the oil that makes their engine run, couldn’t buy a bucket (even Tyler Herro who haunts my dreams.) And likely their three best players, Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo, and Goran Dragic, are either out or playing hurt for the series. In essence, it’s not exactly looking pretty for the Heat.
After all, it’s not exactly an easy feat to overcome Playoff Lebron in the first place, unless you have a team full of superstars. Likewise, the Heat didn’t just lay down and let Lebron and AD tear through them, they were just that good. All season the key to beat this Lakers team was either face LeCoast or to constantly throw doubles at Lebron/AD and make the Lakers role players hit shots; That they did in Game 1. Everyone, bar Kuzma and Rondo, were relatively reliable when it came to hitting their open shots and unless there’s otherworldly rotations, someone is always open. While it’s more than expected for the Lakers to fall off their blistering shooting pace, don’t bet on them to miss every shot either. Whether the Heat stay on track or let everyone but Lebron/AD beat them or switch to make Lebron/AD beat them, both are easier said than done.
Watching the Heat offense try to score though, could have been worse than watching paint dry. Outside of Jimmy Butler, the entire offense decided to do their best Houdini impression. As mentioned, their other two best options were plauged with injury as Dragic left and Adebayo couldn’t buy a shot in the paint. The white splash bros we saw last round, Herro and Robinson, combined to go 2-11 from 3 and 6-21 overall. Nearly every single functioning offensive scheme the Heat used to destroy teams last round was atrocious due to the suffocating Lakers defense. Unless Spolestra challenged the team to see who could provide the least, the Heat team didn’t look up to Finals standards in Game 1.
Luckily enough for the Heat, it was just Game 1, and Erik Spoelstra is more than capable of making adjustments on the fly. For these Heat role-players, they have to pick an area of the floor to struggle on, because it absolutely cannot be both or it’ll be a quick four games. Lebron nearly always forces a switch onto the weakest defender, at times making Herro and Robinson virtually unplayable. At whatever cost, the Heat need to stop that switch, or it’s a guaranteed bucket every time down the court. Likewise, the Heat also need to force switches on the offensvie end as the defenders were glued to their guards, destroying their bread and butter handoffs and off-ball screens.
Is it too early to call this series already? Honestly, probably not, but this is sports and who knows what could possibly happen. With the plethora of Heat injuries paired with them being the weaker team regardless, it’s not looking like a match-made in heaven for their 4th title ever. It’s doubtful Jimmy Butler goes down without a fight and it seems Kendrick Nunn remembered how to play basketball thankfully. The Heat should and need to come out with a sense of urgency in Game 2, or all signs point to a 17th Lakers ring, as much as it pains me to say.
The Closeout 