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- Lakers lead Heat in best-of-seven series 2-1
Lakers 100-93 Heat, 10.9, 4th quarter
Butler with a dunk. So it’s just seven points. The Heat get a break when Davis throws the ball out of bounds but he gets a block on the other end to make sure that it doesn’t matter. The Lakers are getting ready to dance the night away.
The Miami Heat take a timeout but unless they have a “score nine points in two possessions” play on them, I can’t really see how they’ll pull a win off here.
Lakers 100-91 Heat, 39.5, 4th quarter
And what a time for Rondo to make his first basket of the game! It’s a six point lead! That might be enough but they decide that they want more. Davis hits a three-pointer and it’s a nine point lead with less than 40 seconds left!
Lakers 95-91 Heat, 1:37, 4th quarter
It remains a shot clock violation. In any case, Robinson misses the three on the other end but Butler gets the rebound and Crowder hits a three-pointer to cut the lead to four.
Lakers 95-88 Heat, 2:02, 4th quarter
It’s Heat ball and, man, they almost get a ridiculous shot out of Adebayo but it’s ruled as a shot-clock violation. On the other end, Caldwell-Pope hits a layup but…
Just in case you want to, you know, actually see the shot:
KCP FROM DOWNTOWN! #NBAFinals pic.twitter.com/e73ODaWIex
Lakers 93-88 Heat, 2:39, 4th quarter
Jimmy Butler with a corner three to potentially give Miami the lead but it rims out which means, of course that the Lakers hit a three on their end. It’s Caldwell-Pope, of course, and it might be the biggest basket of the game. Lakers with a timeout.
Lakers 90-88 Heat, 3:39, 4th quarter
Herro draws a foul resulting in the first Heat free throws of the quarter. He makes of one of two and it’s just a two-point Lakers lead.
Lakers 90-85 Heat, 3:50, 4th quarter
Herro continues to come up big under pressure. He hits a floater to reduce the Lakers lead down to three-points. The Heat take a timeout. Could we be seeing overtime today?
Lakers 90-85 Heat, 4:37, 4th quarter
Bam Adebayo with a layup. It’s a one-possession game. The Lakers keep getting second-chance opportunities and that’s absolutely key. The Heat are getting frustrated. The result: James gets fouled again and gets to the line again where he’s perfect yet again.
Lakers 88-83 Heat, 5:33, 4th quarter
Heat called for a travel and that’s a turnover. On the Lakers side of things, James misses his attempt but Rondo’s right there to keep the possession alive which turns out to be big because LeBron gets fouled and gets to the line. I just automatically add the two points to the Lakers’ total before he’s even attempted the second.
Lakers 86-83 Heat, 6:08, 4th quarter
Jimmy Butler ties the game with a layup, to the visible annoyance of LeBron James who scores on the other end AND picks up a foul from Crowder. Of course he makes the free throw.
Lakers 83-81 Heat, 7:00, 4th quarter
Good news: Davis is staying in the game. Better news: to prove it he dunks a KCP pass.
Lakers 81-78 Heat, 7:39, 4th quarter
Morris misses for the Lakers and Herro tries a three-pointer again. This one is good but Anthony Davis is down and in pain. The medical staff goes to check on him as the Lakers take an injury timeout.
Lakers 81-78 Heat, 7:39, 4th quarter
Lakers defense is absolutely stifling out of the Heat timeout. They force a tough three from Herro that’s absolutely hopeless.
Lakers 81-75 Heat, 8:46, 4th quarter
LeBron James hits just an entirely impossible shot while being absolutely attacked by this tenacious Heat defense. They did everything they could but it was no use. The Lakers lead is six points and Miami calls a timeout.
Lakers 79-75 Heat, 9:34, 4th quarter
It’s taken a little over three quarters but Herro connects on a three. That could be good news for Miami if he’s heating up.
Lakers 76-72 Heat, 10:20, 4th quarter
Jimmy Butler starts the scoring in the fourth. On the other end, Kuzma gets fouled and goes to the line, the Lakers are starting to even out the foul disparity here and that could be the ballgame. Kuzma makes one of two.
Lakers 75-70 Heat, 11:37, 4th quarter
It’s Erik Spoelstra’s time for the in-game interview. Not really the ideal time considering the massive mental mistake we all just witnessed.
Lakers 75-70 Heat, end of the 3rd quarter
Iguodala fouls Davis who, rather shockingly, gets to the line for the first time all game. He makes both. He makes his second trip soon after, however, because with 4.6 left in the quarter, Adebayo picks up a loose ball foul that puts Davis on the line. Absolutely inexcusable since Miami had time for the last shot. Instead Davis makes two free throws to extend the lead and Butler’s last second prayer goes unanswered on the other end. Lakers are up five heading into the fourth quarter.
Lakers 71-70 Heat, 1:14, 3rd quarter
Now it’s Robinson on the line, he makes his. Davis can’t find the rim with his shot and there’s a struggle for the ball. Miami I up with it! Olynyk with a layup! It’s a one-point game!
Lakers 71-66 Heat, 1:52, 3rd quarter
Anthony Davis with a crucial three pointer. That’s a seven-point Laker lead and this could be point in the game where the Lakers takeover. The Balance of the game feels like it’s at stake.
Lakers 68-64 Heat, 2:37, 3rd quarter
Kuzma attunes for his mistake and then some on the Lakers’ next possession hitting a three pointer to extend the Lakers lead.
Lakers 65-64 Heat, 3:45, 3rd quarter
The official say that James’s basket was after the foul and doesn’t count. Big break for the Heat because on the next play Butler steals a lazy Kuzma pass and goes runnin’ with the devil to the other side of the court where James fouls him to make him earn his two points on the line.
Lakers 65-62 Heat, 4:06, 3rd quarter
Butler attempts a fadeway that just barely hits the rim and LeBron James gets the rebound. On the other end Davis makes a basket. Nunn misses a three, can’t really think that’s the optimum play there guys. LeBron James gets fouled by Adebayo, but the officials are gathering to see whether it was before or after LeBron started his shooting motion.
Lakers 63-62 Heat, 5:14, 3rd quarter
Jae Crowder’s on the line after picking up a foul from Morris. He hits both of his attempts and it’s only a one point Lakers lead. It’s been a back-and-forth affair here from the get go.
Lakers 63-60 Heat, 5:41, 3rd quarter
The Heat are hanging in here though. Robinson makes a three-pointer to make it a single possession game. The Lakers wisely call for a timeout of their own here.
Lakers 63-57 Heat, 6:16, 3rd quarter
Crowder hits a three to take it down to a single possession lead but, welp, James has found his zone and he makes a three-pointer as well. James gets an additional free throw after being fouled and the Lakers lead is five points.
The Heat have absolutely out-played the Lakers, but they are down and they are starting to teeter now that LeBron is finding himself. Sometimes that’s all it takes: The Lakers look like they’ve been unchained.
Lakers 60-54 Heat, 7:22, 3rd quarter
There is the kind of big shot the Lakers needed from LeBron James. He makes a sweet three-pointer and then gets the ball to Green for a dunk. After another LeBron James three, the Lakers have put together a six point lead and Miami has to take a timeout.
Lakers 52-54 Heat, 9:09, 3rd quarter
Morris hits a three-pointer, that’s the first Lakers points of the half. James then picks up a foul that puts Adebayo on the free throw line. The Heat are getting FT opportunities and, this is key, they’re cashing them in. Adebayo goes 2-for-2 here.
Lakers 49-52 Heat, 9:55, 3rd quarter
Butler goes back to the line, that’s a foul on Anthony Davis, but the Lakers catch a break when he actually misses one. Herro then manages to hit a semi-contested floater.
Lakers 49-49 Heat, 10:34, 3rd quarter
And Adebayo looks pretty good. He hits a jumper to tie the game. Nice start to the second half for the Heat.
Meanwhile on the Heat, Jimmy Butler is once again the man. It’s not quite a Top Jimmy performance like we saw back on Sunday, but still it’s 13 points on 5-for-7 shooting. He’s made all three of his freethrows and he’s made two assists and gathered two rebounds.
Whither LeBron?
Okay, there’s the bad news for the Lakers: LeBron remains 3-for-8 and has 5 turnovers to go with his 8 points. I’m going to take a wild guess and say that this statline will look a lot prettier by the end of the fourth.
Halftime Thoughts
If I told you that Caldwell-Pope would be the Lakers’ top scorer after the first half of Game 3, you’d probably think they were in trouble, but it’s not the case. The Lakers are up two at the half partly because he’s been on fire. He’s scored 10 points on 4-for-8 shooting. Good for him, as he’s lived his life as the Lakers fans scapegoat for much of this season.
Lakers 49-47 Heat, end of the 1st half
Now, Jimmy Butler picks up his first foul in the game, which is pretty incredible, all things considered. Rondo misses on the other end, but Iguodala now gets charged with a foul. James misses another shot, he’s now 3-for-8 but the Lakers still have a lead.
Lakers 46-45 Heat, 1:40, 2nd quarter
James gets called for a foul and starts in on the refs. What are they discussing exactly? I don’t know but they ain’t talking about love, that’s for sure.
Lakers 46-45 Heat, 2:02, 2nd quarter
Danny Green with a three to put them up two, but Herro goes to the line with a chance to tie it… but he doesn’t, he only makes one of his free throws.
Lakers 43-44 Heat, 2:58, 2nd quarter
Ooh a nice sequence here from Rajon Rondo. He gets another assist, this time for a pass that leads to a Davis dunk and then he snatches the ball away from Adebayo and gets in Danny Green’s hands for a smooth layup.
Lakers 39-41 Heat, 5:24, 2nd quarter
Butler with an attempted stepback that doesn’t go through. KCP misses on the other side. Back with the Heat now and Butler draws a foul. That’s been one of the major keys to his game here, he gets on the line and he’s pretty reliable when he gets there. He makes two right now.
Lakers 39-39 Heat, 6:03, 2nd quarter
At least this time, the Heat respond with their own turnover so no harm, no foul. Markieff Morris finds Anthony Davis. Olynyk, one of the sneaky heroes of Game 3, misses his three. Morris? Well he makes a three on the other end. That always seems to happy after a missed three.
Lakers 34-39 Heat, 7:08, 2nd quarter
The Heat pick up only their second team foul, which gives you some sense of why they’re ahead right now. It’s a loose ball foul on Iguodala. The Lakers can’t cash it in, James picks up yet another turnover.
Lakers 34-39 Heat, 7:57, 2nd quarter
Possible worry for the Heat: LeBron looks like he’s shaking off his first quarter issues, he dunks on the Heat. Adebayo answers and, well, we’re starting to see why Miami missed him so much in the previous two games.
Lakers 32-36 Heat, 9:01, 2nd quarter
Caruso gets called for a technical foul. Robinson will shoot it for the Heat and he makes it. LeBron, on the other side, makes a layup, draws a foul and gets his free throw.
Lakers 29-33 Heat, 9:53, 2nd quarter
Bam Adebayo sighting, he scores. Alex Caruso counters but that does little to settle this eruption from the Heat. The venerable Andre Iguodala hits a three-pointer and the Lakers call for a timeout.
Lakers 27-28 Heat, 10:37, 2nd quarter
LeBron misses a layup. Kendrick Nunn hits a three pointer and I guess that Lakers lead was as shaky as it felt, because the Heat are up by a point now.
Lakers 27-25 Heat, 11:44, 2nd quarter
Ah gotta love the old “interviewing the coach in the middle of a Finals game.” These were only good when it was Gregg Popovich ragging on the late Craig Sager. Robinson Kuzma fouls Robinson on a three-pointer, which is… not ideal. He makes all three free throws and it’s a two point Lakers lead now.
Lakers 27-22 Heat, end of the 1st quarter
Adebayo, who made the first shot of the game but has otherwise not been much of a factor, picks up his second foul. The Heat replace him with Jae Crowder.
Lakers 22-20 Heat, 1:47, 1st quarter
James, still a bit quiet, gets to the line after being fouled by Kelly Olynyk. He makes one of two free throws.
Lakers 21-20 Heat, 1:47, 1st quarter
Herro misses another three. You live by those, you die for them. Rondo throws a ball out of bounds, and the Lakers are still committing bad turnovers. Haven’t they looked at tape from last game. In any case, it gives Butler a chance to nail a jumper to cut the Lakers led to a single point.
Roommate has gone to bed, because they actually have a real job. This leads me to another thought since there’s discussion of ratings: maybe starting these games at 9:00pm on weekdays on the East Coast isn’t the best way to attract casual fans?
Lakers 21-18 Heat, 2:50, 1st quarter
Kyle Kuzma with a jumper. Buter scores. Playoff Rondo makes his first appearance here, dishing an assist to a red-hot KCP who scores. Butler cuts into the Lakers lead by finding space around the basket and launching a sweet-looking floater that looks even better on replay. The Lakers call a timeout.
Lakers 17-14 Heat, 5:57, 1st quarter
Robinson reacts to LeBron’s dunk with a layup of his own. Then we have a stretch without any scoring until Davis scores on a KCP assist.
Lakers 15-12 Heat, 5:57, 1st quarter
Roommate asks me who I’m rooting for. Me? I’m rooting for the longest series possible, so I said Heat but entirely monetary reasons. This is one of those days where you realize that freelancing isn’t that much different than gambling.
Lakers 10-12 Heat, 6:31, 1st quarter
Duncan Robinson hits a three-pointer which is matched by KCP. Herro scores again, a little floater, and the Lakers want to call their first timeout. Lebron hasn’t attempted a shot of his own yet, which is somewhat odd.
Lakers 7-7 Heat, 8:17, 1st quarter
LeBron sets up KCP, who has been genuinely good this series, for a basket and Herro makes his first shot of the game. No sneer here. Too early in the game for such things.
Lakers 5-5 Heat, 8:52, 1st quarter
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope hits a three and Jimmy Butler makes an old fashioned three, with a shot and a free throw.
Lakers 2-2 Heat, 9:35, 1st quarter
Anthony Davis with a dunk, that’s also a good sign for a player looking to right himself.
Lakers 0-2 Heat, 11:38, 1st quarter
And we’re off. The Lakers have the first shot opportunity and don’t do anything with it. Bam Adebayo has the first basket for the Heat. That’s a good way to show that you’re fine.
They’re actually interviewing Tyler Herro about his sneer. I am attempting to explain this to my roommate who is not very online.
Herro actually had a somewhat disappointing Game 3, despite his notoriety, only scoring 17 point and missing a lot of threes. The Heat might need some more production from him to tie this up.
Okay, successfully moved onto the living room here for the men’s Finals. This liveblogging thing worked a little differently when I lived alone.
WNBA Finals
And that’s that. The Seattle Storm have beaten the Los Vegas Aces 92-59! Honestly, it wasn’t even that close. Well deserved victory.
Email from Jonng Inbrasil:
The 2 best teams this year (beat the others, not just survived). The stars will shine but the winner will be the team with the supporting players making 3s. This (i hope) will be Miami.
Email from Tom Hiney:
Completely agree with you!
So glad Heat made it a series, But LJ needs to ramp this game with AD and I’d be happy with 4-1
Email from Jacques Magloire:
Lakers are about to lo, this is the first time that Lebron had such a hungry person to guard.simply said at this point its magic over logic. Everybody on the Heat has to play their role and let lebron try to contain a hungry underrated player of the same age. Defending Anthony Davis is key and Spoelstra has his number.so sorry my friend, the series will be even tonight and Miami will get the championship.
WNBA Finals
When they scheduled the WNBA Finals games to work as sort of a lead on for the NBA Finals, they probably were hoping for something a little more dramatic than this. The Storm is now up 75-48 with the fourth quarter ready to begin. It’s all but over here.
Email from Ahmed Osman:
No words can describe how much I wanted Miami to make a series out of this before game 3 and they did, it took everything going their way, but hey, they did it. Jimmy Butler showed he is a world class competitor and “Those other guys” chipped in with double digit scoring. I agree that everything had to go their way for that to happen but can we just take a minute to realise that the Lakers had it easy in game 3 (Miami missing their leading playoff scorer and arguably their second best player) yet still winning? Adebayo returning will be huge, especially with him matching up with Anthony Davies defensively. I have the heat winning this one and Tyler Hero having another crazy night in the bubble.
When Snarl Malone grabs a rebound, TM Elliott Turner S.A de V
Not all Herros wear capes also TM
TYLER HERRO SNARL pic.twitter.com/DT9s9HvSCF
Predictions
Last time around I was extremely certain that the Miami Heat would lose Game 3. I had never been more confident about anything in my life. Well, sports-related at least. I turned out to be extremely wrong, which I was honestly happy about. The longer the series the better, in my opinion. (This feeling may or may not be due to the fact that I get paid per blog.)
Okay here’s the biggest news: Bam Adebayo is planning to play despite the neck sprain that caused him to miss Games 2 and 3. Meanwhile, Goran Dragic has been warming up to see if he can play through his foot injury. He’s listed as doubtful and I would be very surprised to see him playing in this game. Remember that even if Adebayo plays he’s probably not going to be 100%. Still, if they can get anything from him, the Heat’s odds of finding a way to even out this series 2-2 improve dramatically.
WNBA Finals
Just a reminder: there is another basketball game going on here. It’s currently halftime in the WNBA Finals. The Seattle Storm are up on the Las Vegas Aces 43-34. The Storm are already up 2-0 in the five game series, which means if they hold onto the lead then that’s it, they’re the 2019-20 season champions. The game’s on ESPN right now if you want to watch something other than the pregame.
Preamble
Do you believe in the concept of trap games? While there’s never really been any scientific consensus about their existence, they are accepted almost as a matter of faith in sports circles. Maybe that makes us somewhat superstitious, but we’ve just seen it too many times. If you’re not familiar with the term, it goes something like this: a heavily-favored team on a winning streak is scheduled to play against a weaker, possibly shorthanded, opponent and somehow they end up losing. Sometimes big.
Hunter will be here shortly, in the meantime here’s a look at Jimmy Butler’s performance in the series so far:
Things looked plenty grim for the Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat entering Sunday night’s third game of the NBA finals.
Related: ‘You’re in trouble’: Could Jimmy Butler’s Game 3 classic turn the NBA finals?
