THEY’RE ALMOST THERE
LeBron, Lakers win away from getting party started
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — The plans for the trophy ceremony are getting finalized. Boxes are being shipped out of the NBA bubble in advance of the looming shutdown. Sometime in the next few days, hotel rooms will be filled again by regular people looking for their longawaited Disney fix.
For LeBron James and the Lakers, the stage is set.
The NBA Finals — and the longest season in league history, thanks to the coronavirus pandemic and the 4oe- month shutdown that followed — could end on Friday, with James and the Lakers going into Game 5 with a 3- 1 series lead over the Heat. The Heat simply are looking for a way to extend this matchup to a Game 6 that would be played Sunday, while James is looking for his fourth ring and, he thinks, a whole new level of respect from fans in Los Angeles.
‘‘ What I’ve learned being a Laker is that the Laker faithful don’t give a damn what you’ve done before,’’ James said. ‘‘ They don’t care about your résumé at all until you become a Laker. You’ve got to do it as a Laker, and then they respect you.’’
James is 3- 0 in Finals close- out opportunities, and 3- 1 leads in the title series almost always are turned into trophies. The exception was in 2016, when James led the Cavaliers back from 3- 1 down against the Warriors.
The Heat know this but aren’t bothered. ‘‘ Our guys are the ones who are out there in the arena, marred by dust, blood, sweat and tears,’’ Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. ‘‘ Our guys are the ones out there; 28 other teams aren’t out there. Everybody else is basically on their comfortable couches, spectating on this one. Our guys are the ones that are in the arena, and that’s right where they are meant to be.’’
Some of that was Spoelstra quoting Theodore Roosevelt’s famed 1910 speech titled ‘‘ Citizenship in a Republic,’’ which over time has become better known as ‘‘ The Man in the Arena.’’ It’s one of James’ favorites, too.
‘‘ We’ve got a chance,’’ Heat center Bam Adebayo said. ‘‘ We still believe. They’re writing us off; everybody is doubting us. But as long as the people in the locker room and all our coaching staff have belief in us, that’s all that matters.’’
The Heat fell apart in Game 1, not coincidentally in a game in which they lost point guard Goran Dragic to a torn plantar fascia in his left foot and Adebayo to a neck strain. The Lakers rolled to a 1- 0 series lead, but matters have been far closer since: In Games 2- 4, the Lakers have outscored the Heat by only five points.
‘‘ To me, this series is far from over,’’ Lakers coach Frank Vogel said. ‘‘ We’ve got a lot of work to do. This is a great basketball team that we’re playing, and my focus is solely on . . . what we have to do to get one more win.’’
Though Vogel isn’t looking past the next game, making logistical plans for the end of the series and the closing of the bubble is really common sense.
There will be a trophy ceremony when the series ends. It might be possible the ownership group from the winning team will be permitted on the floor, even though they’ve been outside the bubble this whole time. On Saturday, Monday or Wednesday at the latest, those who remain in the bubble will leave because the series will have ended the night before.
The Lakers are trying to keep themselves grounded, even with the knowledge they’re one victory away from rings.
‘‘ I think we all know that [ Friday] night is also a must- win for us, just as much as it is a must- win for the Heat,’’ Lakers forward Anthony Davis said.
It isn’t, but Davis’ point is clear. The Lakers will aim to head into Friday with the same desperation the Heat will have while facing elimination.
‘‘ WE STILL BELIEVE. THEY’RE WRITING US OFF; EVERYBODY IS DOUBTING US. BUT AS LONG AS THE PEOPLE IN THE LOCKER ROOM AND ALL OUR COACHING STAFF HAVE BELIEF IN US, THAT’S ALL THAT MATTERS.’’
BAM ADEBAYO, Heat center