Since Valentine’s Day something has broken in Lakerland. And it has not been the unconditional love between fans. It’s Anthony Davis, and thankfully ‘break’ isn’t the word. But it is being just that, preventing his big man from breaking (and therefore having him off the courts until he knows what happens with that Achilles), which is causing the Lakers to lose what has been their aura of almost unbeaten this season.
A great LeBron James was not enough against some Nuggets in which La Ceja only played 14 minutes. And from there, the Nets without Durant and the Miami Heat without Dragic have been too much for a team that has lost three of its last four games, only being able to boast of having beaten the Minnesota Timberwolves, the bottom of the league, in between. .
Yesterday, yes, they fought until the last moment, and in a more characteristic end of the grit & grind (15-17 scoring) the Florida men were imposed by only two points of difference 96-94.
“We are learning to play without one of our creators and one of our stars,” Alex Caruso (who had the triple winner in his hand) justified himself, alluding to both the loss of AD and that of Dennis Schoder. “It’s going to take us some time.”
“We are going to continue working on our habits and try to make the one next to us better,” added LeBron (author of 19 points, 9 rebounds and 9 assists). “Besides, it is impossible to always be regular. We had little lapses like that last year even in the playoffs. We have to get used to it and get over it ”.
On the side of Miami, to whom this victory comes like rain in May to finish forgetting the three blows in a row against leading teams (Jazz, Clippers and Warriors), were Jimmy Butler and a very inspired Kendrick Nunn, with 24 and 27 points respectively , its main gunners, who would be joined on impact by the double-double of Bam Adebayo (10/16).
“Our chemistry is under construction,” said Nunn, author of five triples in six attempts. “We’ve all been together (and not counting Dragic) for just a week and a half. We are moving in the right direction ever since. ” (GG) (NBA Maniacs)