Morris muscles his way into key role

The Lakers forward brings a rough- and- tumble style to the basketball court but he calls it “old school.”

ORLANDO, Fla. — His role is all- encompassing for the Lakers, and if being an enforcer is part of that, Markieff Morris is all for it.

So when Hall of Famer Charles Barkley asked Morris on NBA TV after the Lakers’ Game 4 victory over the Miami Heat on Tuesday night if the forward was being physical or purposefully intimidating on the court, Morris didn’t hesitate with his answer.

“Both,” Morris said. “It’s basketball. Not too many people know me off the court. But on the court, we intimidate. That’s just the way we are, you know what I mean? So, I just use it to my advantage. So I’m coming to be physical. I’m coming to foul the hell out of you and I’m coming to change the game with energy. I’m old school. I’m just playing in this new basketball era.”

All that Morris did served the Lakers well in Game 4 at the AdventHealth Arena on the Disney World sports complex.

He started the second half in place of center Dwight Howard, giving the Lakers another defender to throw at Heat star Jimmy Butler and another player to create space because of his threepoint shooting.

Morris played 30 minutes, two seconds in the game, 18: 02 in the second half, when he had six of his nine points.

Morris has continued to give the Lakers a lift off the bench during the NBA Finals, which resume with Game 5 on Friday night while L. A. holding a 3- 1 series lead.

He’s tied for fourth in scoring ( 10.5) and rebounding ( 4.3) and is second in threepoint accuracy ( 42.3%).

Morris and the Lakers are one win from claiming the franchise’s 17th NBA title, which would tie them with the Boston Celtics for the most.

Lakers’ defense locks in on Butler

Miami has to make the next adjustment in Game 5. The Heat need to find ways to free up Butler from the clutches of the Lakers defense.

The Lakers had no answer for Butler in Game 3, his triple- double of 40 points, 11 rebounds and 13 assists a playoff masterpiece.

But the Lakers made an adjustment that worked, throwing the long- armed 6foot- 10 Anthony Davis at Butler. LeBron James ( 6- 9) and Morris ( 6- 8), also bigger defenders, took turns on Butler in Game 5 as well.

Butler made his f irst f ive shots in the first quarter, but he went three for 12 the rest of the way, f inishing with 22 points.

Davis’ defense was key to that happening.

“He’s a great player. So is Jimmy,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said on a videoconference late Tuesday night. “So we have a great team and great players in our way of what we’re trying to do. I’m sure on Friday night it will be James and Davis on him quite a bit and Jimmy’s not running from that. We have to try to help him a little bit more, create a little bit more space for him.

“But again, these games may just end up being in the mud. You have two competitive groups and you just have to f igure out how to make some plays at the end, and that’s usually where we figure it out and usually where our group thrives. Our guys are just looking forward to Friday.”

Etc.

General Mills, the Minnesota- based food company, said it is using James as its next Wheaties athlete. ... The Lakers will wear their Kobe Bryant- designed Black Mamba jerseys for Game 5. The Lakers are 4- 0 this postseason in the Mamba jerseys.