The Lakers remained defiant in the aftermath of Game Three of the National Basketball Association Finals. That they saw fit to underscore their status as series favorites despite having just suffered a disappointing loss speaks volumes of their confidence. At the same time, the manner in which they turned near-universal prognoses of certain victory into double-digit defeat likewise exposes their pride. And whether or not it is misplaced depends on how they show up today. If they greet opening tip of Game Four with the sense of urgency missing in their previous outing, they will have at least rightly displayed their capacity to learn from their misstep and earn their desired outcome.
Meanwhile, the Heat deserve respect accorded equals. For all their supposed handicaps in the absence of key figures Bam Adebayo and Goran Dragic, they wound up burning rubber with purpose in Game Three. Whatever they lacked in size and athleticism, they made up for with resolve. And, certainly, no one player was better than All-Star Jimmy Butler from start to finish. While Lakers stalwart LeBron James exhibited carelessness early and misfired late, and while series revelation Anthony Davis put on a disappearing act, he promptly went about doing an outstanding impression of his longtime foil. He became just the third player in Finals history to post a 40-point triple-double, and the first ever to do so in a win.
James acknowledged the singular performance in his post-match presser, which was, if nothing else, an example of greatness recognizing greatness. He should have done it much earlier, though; were he more predisposed to truly accept Butler’s leadership of the Heat, he might have come up with a more determined stand. Instead, he did little more than stuff his stats with ultimately empty numbers. He even had the temerity to celebrate early, telling Butler “you’re in trouble” at the end of the first quarter. Never mind that the Lakers weren’t even leading then.
Considering the unwarranted display of chutzpah, Butler surely felt no small measure of satisfaction when he seized upon the opportunity to use the very same words against James late in the set-to. And with the Heat about to prevail, he had ample cause to thump his chest. Step One of his pledge to shock and awe was fait accompli. Step Two comes today, and if the Lakers know what’s good for them, they need to counter his fire with theirs. Else, they’ll again be left to conclude in resignation that “the Butler did it.”
Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since BusinessWorld introduced a Sports section in 1994. He is a consultant on strategic planning, operations and Human Resources management, corporate communications, and business development.
