The Los Angeles Lakers started their NBA Finals well.
On the night of Wednesday to Thursday, the Californians won the first game of the final of the North American basketball championship.
They won 116-98 against the Floridians of the Miami Heat.
The victory goes to the first team to get four victories.
The Californian team, in search of a 17th record title (which only Boston holds for the time being), was able to count on its star duo in very good shape.
Anthony Davis was the leading scorer with 34 points.
He also took 9 rebounds.
HIGHLIGHTS: @ AntDavis23 goes off for 34 pts, 9 reb and 3 blk in his #NBAFinals debut.
pic.twitter.com/M9Y60qycag
- Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) October 1, 2020
LeBron James for his part came close to the triple-double, that is to say statistics at more than ten units each.
He scored 25 points, took 13 rebounds and 9 assists.
HIGHLIGHTS: @KingJames drops 25 pts, 13 reb and 9 ast in his return to the #NBAFinals pic.twitter.com/0VMOXgHDIe
- Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) October 1, 2020
In their wake, the Lakers made the difference in the 2nd quarter by inflicting a scathing 34-20 to lead by 17 points (65-48) at the break.
They culminated this lead to 30 points (89-59) in the 3rd quarter.
The final lead was reduced to 18 points, which makes LeBron James say that, while he "liked the way we played in the 2nd and 3rd quarters, the way we finished is unacceptable" .
He then tempers this requirement of “we did the job”.
“I liked the way we played in that second, third quarter.
But the way we ended, that's unacceptable. ”
- @KingJames pic.twitter.com/VEhhGFFkgW
- Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) October 1, 2020
As for Miami, which is the 6th final in 15 years (three were won in 2006, 2012, 2013), the evening was very difficult and could leave its mark.
If Jimmy Butler, like a good warrior that he is, finished his match after twisting his left ankle at the end of the first period, scoring 23 points, Goran Dragic (6 points) is not returned on the parquet after the break, injured left foot.
As for Bam Adebayo (8 pts), who faced him alternately Dwight Howard, Antohny Davis or even LeBron James, he suffered a lot inside, both literally and figuratively, since he too had to return to the locker room at the end third quarter, injured a shoulder while trying to rebound.
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This NBA final takes place in a doubly particular context for the Lakers.
As for all the other teams that took part in the final phase of the championship, the matches take place behind closed doors, in a sanitary bubble, due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
In addition, the Lakers were marked by the death of one of their historical figure at the beginning of the year.
Player for 20 years, from 1996 to 2016 and five-time NBA championship winner, Kobe Bryant died at the end of January in a helicopter crash.