The Finals: Lakers vs Heat 4-2 LAL Wins 2019-2020 Championship!!!

[EArl]

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GM 1: 9/30 6:00 p.m. PST Lakers vs Heat [b]LAL Wins Game 1

GM 2: 10/2 6:00 p.m. PST Lakers vs Heat LAL Wins Game 2

GM 3: 10/4 4:30 p.m. PST Heat vs Lakers MIA Wins Game 3

GM 4: 10/6 6:00 p.m. PST Heat vs Lakers LAL Wins Game 4

GM 5: 10/9 6:00 p.m. PST Lakers vs Heat LAL Wins Game 5

GM 6: 10/11 4:30 p.m. PST Heat vs Lakers

GM 7: 10/13 6:00 p.m. PST Lakers vs Heat[/b]





Im ready to tie the Celtics in most championships!

[Slink]

I think the Heat would give us more trouble. Besides last game, Celtics' offense hasn't been very impressive.

[danfantastk32]

I have to root for the Celtics to make it to finals. Any chance for a Laker/Celtics finals is a chance for more history.

I personally think Lebron has this one shot here. So if he can do it against the Goombas....it immediately makes him a valid "Laker champ" in my book. Wouldn't 17 tie us with them too?? How sweeter the nectar, if it comes from Goomba tears!!

Much respect for the Celtics. I like their franchise. I got notin against the Heat either. Another great team. But I enjoy one of the few legit rivalries in the NBA.

[Beethoven]

Celtics can beat the Lakers as they are more built like the hobos but without the weak mentality and all-bark persona.

[EArl]

I think we match up better vs the Heat. The Celtics are deep. If they manage to get past the Heat, that means that they would be ready to go against us.

[TJM217]

I'm not affraid of any of these teams and think the championship is decided in 5 games. So I don't care who wins at all

[EArl]

If Lebron and AD come out aggressive, I say Lakers in 5.
That Adebayo AD matchup will be interesting.

[kblo247]

If Lebron and AD come out aggressive, I say Lakers in 5.
That Adebayo AD matchup will be interesting.

So will Jimmy and Lebron. Those two aren’t as talented but they about to fight as hard as them

[dockingsched]

A loss here would be 2004-esque.

[Michael Lucky]

A loss here would be 2004-esque.

would be even worse. Pistons were an all time defensive team and had four legit all stars or borderline all stars. You can only say that about butler and adebayo on this heat roster.

[Beethoven]

1st game is a MUST WIN.

Please no feel out game come out strong w some urgency, hit those 3s, and play tough defense.

[Dr Aki]

I think the Heat were the least talented team left between all 4 conference finalists.

That said, their play style will try to force the Lakers to cover the perimeter ala Houston. They've also been probably the most consistent team outside of the Lakers. Butler and Dragic, in particular providing the mental fortitude to weather bad runs against them.

The difference though is that the Heat also playmake through Bam a lot, ala Denver, but he also needs to be closer to the basket and that allows AD, McGee and Dwight to be more effective in walling off the paint.

I think this is a battle between whether LA can cover the perimeter well enough to keep McGee/Dwight on the floor and whether the Heat can force the Lakers to beat them from range and not from within the paint.

[EArl]

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[kblo247]

A loss here would be 2004-esque.

Malone and Fisher being hobbled caused that. And even then had they not cheaped out and paid Horry 2mil like he asked for to back up Malone over getting a Bryon Russell for instance they still win that imo.

I just don't see the LAkers losing. I don't see a sweep or ending it in 5, but I see them winning. I think this is the series where we say Kuzma is up to bat. Javale had his vs Portland. Kieff had his vs Houston. Dwight had his vs Joker. I think this is the one where Kuzhas his because he's bigger than some of the heat and faster than them too, and their zone leaves so many holes for backdoor cuts.

I got to admit thought I really want to see what Dragic has in his bag vs KCP who has ran the Dame, Harden, Murray gauntlet

[Beethoven]

Let's not get too over confident. No arrogant fan base is more powerful than the basketball gods of irony.

[kblo247]

According to the Associated Press, LeBron James and Jimmy Butler have squared off 34 times (including playoffs). The record?

17-17.

Including playoffs, Erik Spoelstra and Frank Vogel have met 50 times as head coaches. Spoelstra leads 26-24.

How's that for a matchup?

[Vae Victus]

Lakers need to shoot well from 3 for at least 4 games. If the Lakers can shoot 35%+ from 3 in a game, i'd chalk it up as a win. Lakers hustle HARD on D and will run off MIA shooters from the 3pt line and force drive into AD/DHo, or mid/long Js. Thus i dont see MIA going supernova from 3pt land as I can see the team selling out defending the 3. If MIA can pound the Lakers down low in the paint to wear out AD, hit the mid J consistently, and Lakers sucking from 3, will be their recipe for victory.

I feel we got 2 key mismatches to ride to victory.

Lebron vs Jimmy/Iggy
AD/DHo vs Bam/no one else

Lebron has shown he's still got it, but Jimmy/Iggy will definitely try to make Lebron earn it.

DHo can play 20-24 mins to wear out Bam while AD plays the rest. If Lakers can stay jumbo, then have Javale take his turn on covering Bam to save AD's legs. MIA only has Bam, no real bigs other than that, which means AD needs to be going for 40 every game. The more DHo and Javale can play quality mins, the more AD will be owning the rest of the Heat frontline. If Bam switches onto AD to stop the carnage, then DHo needs to be dunking on lobs and put backs every time down like the beginning of Game 4.

MIA can try to play fast all they want, as long as Lakers maintain smart rotations to cover the 3, and hustle hard, its gonna be hard for MIA to win unless they can hit contested 3s or mid/long Js. Driving into AD/DHo is suicde.

[JVL]

We have to destroy them inside the paint. Bam can't guard AD/Howard/heck even McGee.

Meanwhile, watch the Heat their hot shooting streak from 3 come to a halt. Duncan Robinson isn't averaging >50% on us.

[DanishLakerFan]

I was hoping that we might get to play the Celtics who i think we would demolish easily in 4 games due to matchup issues. Miami is a different story because they have one of the best players to throw at Lebron in Butler and perhaps THE best player to throw at AD in Bam. They also have a bunch of switchy guys who can get hot from 3 and they have a lot of confidence after playing really well so far in the playoffs.

I think the Lakers should look to do two things early on:
1. Hit them hard with size. Bam is switchy and can handle a guy like AD as well as anyone, but if we put Dwight in there as well i think the size is too much for them to handle. Bam cant guard both which means either AD or Dwight has a major advantage in a mismatch. Going big also takes away Butlers biggest strength which is his drives.

2. Kill their confidence early. Herro and Duncan has been amazing so far, but they're rookies and none of them are even remotely capable of handling a guy like Lebron so Lebron should look to exploit that early on by sniffing out those matchups as often as possible.

Lakers in 4!

[Beethoven]

Good news is that the other board pretty much believes Miami will win.

We are the underdogs ; I like our position.


Pretty much the same story. We are gonna get eaten alive by the other team but after we win..
"wah! Lakers had it easy in these playoffs"