NBA Finals – How the Lakers shut down a Miami Heat comeback https://t.co/kyyaTkc30K
— LakerTom (@LakerTom) October 7, 2020
The Los Angeles Lakers took a commanding 3-1 lead in the NBA Finals by leaning on the thing that has defined their greatness all season: defense. The Lakers not only held the Miami Heat to 96 points, their lowest output of the postseason, but they also did so with a key tactical adjustment, putting Anthony Davis on Jimmy Butler, which shut down the man who torched the Lakers in Game 3.
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Davis was the primary defender against Butler on 11 shots Tuesday, per ESPN tracking, after he defended just four shots from Butler in the first three games of the series. Butler made three of his final 12 attempts, including going 1-for-7 with Davis as his primary defender.
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These are not the Showtime Lakers. This team has been a defensive juggernaut all season, and the Lakers flexed those muscles in Game 4. Their defensive efficiency in the half court improved to 98.6 points allowed per 100 possessions in Game 4 after they gave up 123.9 in Games 2 and 3, according to Second Spectrum.
Defense wins championships.