Well, so much for all the people who doubted the Los Angeles Lakers. Frank Vogelâs team proved that theyâre for real with a huge statement win over the Miami Heat, dominating them for most of Game 1 of theNBA Finals even when they were at full strength.
The Heat jumped to a big lead early in the first quarter but once the Lakers tied it up a couple of minutes later, it all went south for Erik Spoelstraâs side, which also lost a couple of soldiers due to injury.
Anthony Davis lived upto the expectations and proved again that trading the young players for him was worth it, scoring a game-high 34 points with 9 rebounds, 5 assists, and 3 blocks on 11/21 shooting and a +/- of 23.
LeBron James nearly had a triple-double with 25 points, 13 rebounds, 9 dimes, and 1 steal, while even Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Danny Green, and Alex Caruso scored in double-figures. Shockingly, not a single Lakers player had a negative +/-.
The Miami Heat lost Goran Dragic â likely for the series â with a torn plantar fascia, while Jimmy Butler rolled his ankle badly twice and Bam Adebayo hurt the same shoulder that bothered him in the Eastern Conference Finals.
That makes this uphill battle almost impossible for the Miami Heat, as they could be without 2 of their top-3 scorers and minute-getters. Needless to say, the internet wasnât quiet during this purple-and-gold fest and potential sweep.
Funniest Memes And Reactions From The Lakersâ Huge Win Over The Heat In Game 1 Of The NBA Finals
If thereâs a team that can come back and fight their way to a win, thatâs the Miami Heat, especially under Spoelstraâs command. Then again, itâll be quite tough for them if theyâre not at full strength. Thatâs the kind of thing you never want to see at any stage, especially in the NBA Finals.
