When we face the Warriors, we know that heat stroke can happen at any time. Even when you think they have their heads under water, they are capable of catching fire and turning the tide of a game. And when it’s at home, worn by their audience, it can turn into a tsunami.
Last night, this heat stroke took place in the middle of the 4th quarter, and the Warriors signed a 14-0 in 210 seconds! Suddenly, the Lakers couldn’t score a single point, and all the rebounds and all those loose balls went into Golden State’s hands. Where an inexperienced team could have cracked, the teammates of LeBron James made the round back, and it was a basket from D’Angelo Russell that stopped the bleeding, and allowed to give themselves some air to snatch the victory.
“It was not a lack in the execution” assures LeBron James about this slump. “We only lost eight balls, and that means we weren’t negligent with the ball in hand. We were at a high level in execution, and we just missed a few shots. (…) Sometimes it’s just a championship with shots missed and shots scored…. Our execution was perfect, but we just didn’t put our shots. »
A resistance shaped over the season
That’s why the Lakers didn’t panic, and they managed to stay in their systems. For LeBron James, it’s a bit of a symbol of this season, which started with two wins in twelve matches.
“Since we signed new players, we have been able to be very resilient in matches. I repeat, we have played a lot for two and a half months, in order to make up for lost time and be able to go to the playoffs. We have shown resilience. Like tonight, against a team like Golden State, defending champion, and we know how good they have been on their court for years. Resisting this is another step forward for our club. »
For Darvin Ham too, this resistance is a step forward, and confirmation that the foundations are solid.
“I just think we’ve been strong and we’ve stayed strong,” insists the Lakers coach. “We stayed organized offensively, and we weren’t discouraged defensively. We came in with a game plan. We knew there would be ups and downs. They put a lot of pressure on you to defend constantly, second by second, minute by minute, quarter hour by quarter hour, half time by half time. »
