Lakers-Heat NBA Finals Game 2: Scouting Report, How To Watch

What happened in Game 1? How can the Los Angeles Lakers be better in Game 2?

While the Miami Heat lost key players to injury in Game 1 of the NBA Finals with starting point guard Goran Dragic and All-Star center Bam Adebayo being listed as doubtful to play in Game 2, their emotional leader Jimmy Butler isn’t going to let them feel sorry for themselves. Dragic and Adebayo are doubtful as of this writing, likely meaning the Heat will have to revisit previous identities they last knew in January, with Kendrick Nunn getting more minutes at point guard and playing more Meyers Leonard at the center spot. Both players were starters for the Heat for the majority of the season, helping them earn a spot in the middle of the Eastern Conference.

But regardless of who the Heat put on the court, they have to be aware of the type of game they are getting into. As they learned very early in Game 1 of the Finals, even though they posted a double-digit lead in the 1st quarter, playing the Lakers, very literally, hits different. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope was crucial for the Lakers offensively but the Heat have a learning curve to get around before they can get comfortable with thinking they have a chance in this series.

Lakers physicality

Before he had to be subbed out with what would be diagnosed as a neck strain, Bam Adebayo caught a blindside hit worthy of primetime Hines Ward from Danny Green after he missed a 3. At 6-6, 215 pounds, that’s not an easy hit. But Green is not even the smallest guy in the Lakers starting lineup. Look at the hit below and tell me it didn’t shake Adebayo at least a little bit.

Even though Adebayo is doubtful, whoever plays for the Heat, has to come with the appropriate toughness to meet the force the Lakers play with at the point of attack. Kelly Olynyk, Meyers Leonard, and Derrick Jones Jr. are likely going to see more time, all will need to play physically against this Lakers group. Because the Lakers won’t give them anything easy, even when things are going well. But does Spo dare to bring in Haslem to give it all for one last ride? Without knowing what comes next, it almost feels right that Haslem gets to play a role in these Finals.

How To Watch

Time: 6 p.m. Pacific/9 p.m. Eastern

Channel: ABC

Spread via BetMGM: Lakers -9.5

Will the Lakers continue to splash from outside?

Aside from the physicality from top to bottom in their lineup, the Lakers also benefitted from outshooting the Heat in Game 1. While the Lakers normally shoot a smaller percentage of their shots from the 3-point line than Miami does, the Lakers took a higher percentage of their shots in Game 1 from the 3-point line than the Heat did and the Lakers were more efficient from the 3-point line as well.

Part of that had to do with the fact that the Lakers stopped Duncan Robinson from getting the room to roam from the start of the game. While Bam Adebayo is a great passer, Howard doesn’t care about leaving him open to make a play rather than letting Robinson step into a 3-pointer. The biggest reason why is that Howard believes he can get back after the pass is made, which he did for most of Game 1.

Now, while the Heat defense will suffer greatly without Adebayo, they have to implore his replacements to attack Howard in an unpredictable fashion. Whether it’s Olynyk, Leonard, Jones Jr. or someone else, they have to be aggressive when Butler, Robinson, Herro, or anyone else, is doubled on the ball because if they aren’t, the Lakers will be able to sit back and see everything happen, with no fear of missing the next play.

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