Miami Heat: Tuesday’s Game 4 an apex game for a few reasons
The Miami Heat have a tough Game 4 contest in front of them. It is an apex game in the series for a few different reasons.
The Miami Heat are right back at it on Tuesday night in a Game 4 contest against the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA Finals. After winning a tough fought Game 3 behind an epic performance from Jimmy Butler, they will see if they can go out and get it done again on Tuesday.
For the Miami Heat, Tuesday’s game may become a bit less taxing on everyone else as Bam Adebayo has been upgraded to a “questionable” status. By all indications, this means that he is leaning towards playing, as he and Goran Dragic have been listed as doubtful and haven’t played since they both went down in Game 1.
While Goran Dragic is still listed as doubtful, due to a plantar fascia tear, the return of Bam Adebayo could mean wonders for this Miami Heat team. Not only is he their rim protection, one of their best overall defenders, and a supreme communicator on that side of the ball, but he is also one of their main ball handlers and facilitators on offense.
Needless to say, they should be glad to have him back. That goes double for Duncan Robinson, who gets at least 80 percent of his open looks off the Bam Adebayo dribble handoff action.
Either way though, the Miami Heat have to come out and play this game like it’s their last one. They have to be just as desperate as they were on Sunday night.
While this is an apex game in the series record wise, where if the Lakers go up 3-1, their chances of winning exponentially increase or if the Heat can tie it at 2-2, the pressure heaps solely back onto the Lakers, that isn’t the only reason that is so.
The Miami Heat have a chance to tie the NBA Finals on Tuesday. Will they?
On top of that fact, when LeBron James loses a playoff game, he typically comes back out in the next game with a supreme focus and determination. To compound that, the Lakers have taken on that identity in this postseason as well and you don’t have to look back that far to see it.
After losing to Denver in the Western Conference Finals, the Los Angeles Lakers would come out in the following game to put on a clinic. They haven’t taken losing well, well, as far as the other team’s results go.
If this Miami Heat team can withstand what is sure to be one of LeBron James’ best shots, then things get just that much more interesting. It’s like every Rocky movie ever.
The contender eventually throws everything he has at the title character, Rocky, only to realize that Rock isn’t going to let it phase him. After the contender realizes that what they are doing isn’t working, things start to shift.
Rocky eventually starts to fire off an onslaught of his own. Finally and not to spoil things, but Rocky eventuallly puts everyone on the mat.
Next. Jimmy Butler Shines And The Heat Are On Fire. dark
If you can take their best shot and still be left standing, that does something to the mental fortitude of your competitor. That’s why this game is an apex game for a few reasons, because it could dramatically shift the records and the psyche of the players involved.
LeBron James is the man, but that’s just it, a man. As the trainer told Rocky in his bout with Drago, “you see, he’s not a machine, he’s a man”.