Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
This story’s far from over
Heat, Lakers meet again Saturday, but circumstances differ from NBA Finals
The venue will be different, but it still will be a game preceded by coronavirus testing with masks firmly in place when entering the arena, ABC’s cameras providing the focus and then an opening tip devoid of fans.
Four months after the fact, Miami Heat center Kelly Olynyk said Saturday night’s nationally televised game against the Los Angeles Lakers at Staples Center will feel both familiar and different.
It was on Oct. 11, at the league’s quarantine bubble at Disney World, that the Heat walked off the floor at AdventHealth Arena as losers of Game 6 of the NBA Finals, LeBron James and teammates allowed to revel in championship glory while Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo and the rest of Erik Spoelstra’s team left two victories short of ultimate success.
“It does and it doesn’t,” Olynyk said when asked whether it seems like yesterday when a playoff whirlwind had the Heat, as a No. 5 playoff seed, playing for the franchise’s fourth title. s
“It feels kind of like a blur. Some days it feels like yesterday you were in the finals, and then other days you’re like, ‘Man, I don’t even remember the finals.’
“It’s like such a crazy time; it’s been such a crazy year. But obviously we’re looking forward to it, just getting on the floor and playing another game.”
Most of the faces will be familiar, particularly James with the Lakers and Butler and Adebayo with the Heat.
But not all will be as it was. The Lakers currently are dealing with a calf strain that will have Anthony Davis out an expected month. They also overhauled in the offseason with the additions of Montrezl Harrell, Marc Gasol, Wesley Matthews and Denis Schroder, who has just entered the NBA’s health and safety protocols. Gone are Danny Green, Rajon Rondo, Dwight Howard, J.R. Smith, JaVale McGee and former Heat guard Dion Waiters.
For the Heat, shuffled out from that NBA Finals mix were Jae Crowder, Derrick Jones Jr. and Solomon Hill. Added have been Moe Harkless, Avery Bradley and Precious Achiuwa.
As was the case in the title series when injuries limited the Heat’s Adebayo and Goran Dragic, they stand as a factor again, with Dragic and Bradley away from the team and center Meyers Leonard sidelined for the season by shoulder surgery.
“I don’t think anybody’s worried about what last year had, what happened,” Butler said of his approach to the game. “We wanted to win. Yeah, they got a championship out of it.
“Both teams got a different team. We’re going to be locked in on just that day and who can get that win.”
For the Heat, it is a moment more about 2020-21 footing than 2019-20 nostalgia. At 2-3 on their seven-game trip, it is about following up Wednesday night’s 118-110 victory over the Sacramento Kings with something substantial after disappointing losses to the Utah Jazz, Los Angeles Clippers and Golden State Warriors.
For the Lakers, there is the sting of Thursday night’s 109-98 nationally televised home loss to the Brooklyn Nets in a game far more likely, at least at this stage, to be a preview of this season’s NBA Finals than Heat-Lakers 2.0.
“They’re a great team,” Spoelstra said. “If you’re a competitor, you want to take on that challenge against the world champions.
“We’ve been so wrapped up in each one of these games on the road trip, I literally haven’t given it a second thought to this point. But yeah, I’m sure the guys will be looking forward to it.”
Perhaps, but also with mixed emotions, in light of what happened then and what is happening now during a season that has the Heat 12-17 and in 11th place in the Eastern Conference compared to the Lakers’ 22-8.
“I don’t know,” Adebayo said of his emotions of the moment. “Anytime I see the Lakers, I think of we lost the finals. So we got to be better.”