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Sep 30, 2020
03:27 PM

4 factors that could help Heat upset Lakers

Sekou Smith

Sep 29, 2020 9:55 AM ET

ORLANDO, Fla. -- In the battle between the blue blood program and the blue chip program, someone has to play the role of underdog.

The Los Angeles Lakers, chasing championship banner No. 17 and heavily favored in most circles outside of South Florida, don’t mind the blue-blood distinction.

And no one relishes the long-shot tag more than the Miami Heat, given their roster loaded with underrated players who have scrapped and clawed their way up the ranks in this bizarre, pandemic-influenced season.

The Lakers celebrated their first trip to The Finals since 2010 with a clear message: There’s more business to be done.

Which dynamic duo will shine bright in The Finals?
Jae Crowder and the Heat defense have been intense at times in the playoffs.
Jae Crowder and the Heat defense have been intense at times in the playoffs.
How can the Heat counteract the Lakers in the 2020 Finals?

The Heat disseminated a similar refrain to their group after clinching their first trip here since 2014: We’re not done yet.

But only one of them will leave with the title in what would be an exclamation point to a 2019-20 season filled with moments and obstacles no one could foresee.

The No. 5-seed Heat vanquished three higher seeds -- No. 4 Indiana in the first round, No. 1 Milwaukee in the conference semifinals and No. 3 Boston in the conference finals -- to get here.

And they come with a warning label.

“They're super physical, super tough, very, very savvy,” Celtics coach Brad Stevens said. “I think they're the best team in the East and deserve to be representing the East in the way that they have played.”

An upset of the top-seed from the Western Conference is the logical next step. And with no home court advantage to lean on … anything is possible! (In the Kevin Garnett voice …)

Here are four keys to the Heat springing that upset:

* * *

1. Embrace the 2-3 zone

Heat coach Erik Spoelstra perfectly deployed a 2-3 zone defense against Boston. The wrinkle worked wonders in their Game 2 win and the threat of it the remainder of the series was invaluable.

It’s no gimmick. Spoelstra had no choice but to add the zone to their defensive playbook so All-Star center Bam Adebayo would stay out of harm’s way. The zone lets him set the Heat’s defensive parameters while also protecting the paint.

The bubble environment has allowed for a different sort of scouting experience, with every team getting a real-time look at the in-game adjustments in the same location. The element of surprise, then, won’t be on the Heat’s side.

“We feel good about attacking whatever defense they throw out there,” Lakers coach Frank Vogel said. “We’re familiar with the different looks they like to show and we have a plan on how to attach each of them. At that point it’s just about trusting your guys and making sure we’re in the right spots. And attack the way the game plan suggests.”

The Celtics had the same plan.

They couldn’t beat the Heat consistently attacking or trying to shoot them out of their zone. And they were a significantly better 3-point shooting team than the Lakers (35.5% on 3-pointers in the playoffs).

Adebayo’s rim protection is compromised when the Heat are switching all over the place, as Boston exploited at times during the conference finals. Spoelstra countered by mixing in some zone stretches that worked to perfection.

Throw bodies at LeBron

Kawhi Leonard (2014) and Andre Iguodala (2015) won Finals MVPs based largely on their ability to limit the effectiveness of LeBron James. But it wasn’t a one-man job then and it isn’t now.

The Heat have an assortment of bodies to throw at LeBron, a challenge Spoelstra understands as well or better than any NBA coach after serving as James’ coach during his four seasons with the Heat (2010-14).

That said, Iguodala’s work on James during their first Finals matchup is a masterclass on how to agitate, frustrate and contain a force like James.

“He’s a historically good perimeter defender, that’s why he’s going to go to the Hall of Fame,” Vogel said of Iguodala. “He’s got great length, great hands, great feet … toughness. He’s just one of those types of defenders. There’s a reason these guys are in the NBA Finals, because they have a lot of defensive firepower. And Andre fits in that bucket.”

Jimmy Butler and Jae Crowder have also had to match up with LeBron in recent playoffs, giving Spoelstra all sorts of options. Butler will no doubt get his fair share of time guarding LeBron and respects the challenge.

“The main key, and it's been like this for a very long time, if you want to win, you're going to have to go through a LeBron James-led team,” he said. “At the end of the day, that's what it normally comes down to. … Obviously you can't focus in on [just] him because he has so many really good players around him, but you're going to get the same test over and over again until you pass. And that test is LeBron James.”

Turn Adebayo loose

Celtics point guard Kemba Walker said it best after Adebayo destroyed the Celtics in Game 6: “Bam’s a star. And he played like it.”

For Spoelstra to turn Adebayo loose on the Lakers the way he did against the Celtics, someone will have to protect the heart and soul of this Heat team from bruisers like Dwight Howard, JaVale McGee and Markieff Morris.

They are a significant step up in competition from Boston’s Daniel Theis and Enes Kanter.

“Yeah, he's earned it,” Spoelstra said. “That's what all the great players have to go through, different schemes, different matchups, game plans against you. They know how important he is, and like I said before, he's an elite competitor, and he's as impactful as anyone in this association.”

Vogel agreed.

“He’s is not becoming (a star). He’s already there. He’s terrific,” Vogel said. “He really fits the modern NBA, in terms of playing the center position, with all that he can do. … He can really do it all, protects the rim, defensively. He can switch out and does a lot of things, and is a huge reason for their success this year.”

We could end up seeing Bam and Anthony Davis matched up as small-ball centers in this series (if both coaches decide to go that way).

Dragic, Herro and Robinson go crazy

The underdog routine has worked fine to this point.

But the Heat need the trio of Goran Dragic, Tyler Herro and Duncan Robinson to elevate their game to meet the magnitude of the moment.

Dragic, not Butler or Adebayo, leads the Heat in playoff scoring (20.9 ppg).

We’ve already seen what Herro can do when his confidence is soaring and he starts cooking from deep (see his nuclear Game 4 effort vs. Boston).

“I think I came into the league more as like a catch-and-shoot guy and that's what I'm labeled as, but as you can see, I can put the ball on the floor,” Herro said. “I can make plays for others. I can get my own shot off the dribble, and that's what I did my whole life before Kentucky and before the NBA. I grew up with the ball in my hands and making plays and making tough shots. I feel like that's my game.”

And Robinson, who is shooting 40% on 3-pointers, is due for one of those lights-out performances great shooters tend to have at least once in a series.

There’s a reason the Lakers aren’t buying this underdog narrative. The Heat’s profile outside of the bubble is one thing. Their reality is something different inside this diorama.

“They have three All-Star players in Butler, Bam and, I’ve always felt that when healthy, Goran Dragic is an All-Star-level player,” Vogel said. “They have shooting. They have toughness. And like I said, they are extremely well-coached. So it's no surprise they’ve had such a successful postseason run.”

Butler and the Heat have backed up his business trip talk and believe they will emerge on top in one of the most tumultuous seasons in NBA history. He reflected on as much a year to the day since his introductory news conference to announce that he was “coming home” to Miami.

“A lot of ups and downs. Obviously, everything that's happened in 2020,” he said. “But from a basketball standpoint, [it] couldn’t be better. You talk about where we are right now going into The Finals, that's what I want. We talked about it and put that out there in the world, and I think all that positive energy we put out, it came back to us. We believed when not too many did, but that's okay. We're going to keep believing and get these next four.”

* * *

Sekou Smith is a veteran NBA reporter and NBA TV analyst. You can e-mail him here, find his archive here and follow him on Twitter.

Lakers-Heat predictions, NBA Finals picks: Experts favor LeBron James winning it all, but it's not unanimous

By Jack Maloney

Well, no one expected this matchup. Or, at least half of it. On Wednesday night, the Los Angeles Lakers will meet the Miami Heat in Game 1 of the 2020 NBA Finals.

LeBron James and Co. were one of the favorites to win the title all season long, and made their way through the Western Conference playoffs with little trouble, winning each series 4-1. Now, with just four more wins, the Lakers will tie the Boston Celtics for the most championships in NBA history at 17, and LeBron will earn ring No. 4. It's fitting, then, that as he chases another title, LeBron will have to go through his old team to get there.

The Heat entered the playoffs as the No. 5 seed in the East, and are the first team seeded that low to make the Finals since the New York Knicks in 1999. Despite being the underdog in all three series they played, the Heat only lost three games along the way, dispatching the Indiana Pacers, Milwaukee Bucks and Boston Celtics in an incredible run. Jimmy Butler has made an enormous impact in his first season with the club, but the Heat have also gotten huge contributions from budding young stars Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro.

Los Angeles is a massive favorite ahead of the series, which isn't all that much of a surprise. After all, what the Heat have done in the playoffs has been incredible, but they don't have LeBron James and Anthony Davis. Will those two be enough to get the Lakers another ring? Or do the Heat have one more upset in them? Our CBS Sports experts are leaning the Lakers' way, but it isn't unanimous. Check out all the picks below:

Bill Reiter: Lakers in 6

There is much to like about the Miami Heat: Their defense, their 3-point shooting, the fact they have three different players who can beat you, and the fortitude they have shown in this Erik Spoelstra-infused basketball team. But the Lakers have LeBron James, and in the end, that will simply be enough. The man on a mission completes it against the dogged, unfriendly, and worthy competitor.

Jack Maloney: Lakers in 6

I'm not picking against LeBron James.

James Herbert: Heat in 6

If the Lakers can force turnovers, get out in transition, get to the line and bully the Heat on the glass, then they can win the title. I'm picking Miami because I'm not sure Los Angeles can continue to do all of that in this matchup. On offense, the Heat are similar to the Denver Nuggets -- who scored at a top-five rate against the Lakers -- but are armed with more playmakers on the perimeter. The bigger difference is on defense, where Miami is much more versatile than Los Angeles' last opponent, largely because of Bam Adebayo. In broad terms, the Heat can approach this the same way they approached the Milwaukee Bucks series: Make life difficult on the two stars, and try to contest the role players' shots as well as they can. The 2-3 zone that bothered the Boston Celtics could be useful here, too. Just stay out of foul trouble, Bam.

Colin Ward-Henninger: Lakers in 7

These teams will both be so well prepared and disciplined that ultimately the games will come down to individual performances. With the Nuggets, the Lakers only had to worry about containing two stars -- Miami is much deeper, with at least four players capable of putting up 30 points on any given night. That being said, the Lakers have the two best players in the series in LeBron James and Anthony Davis, and we've seen how each of them can singlehandedly take games over in the fourth quarter. The Celtics stars weren't quite experienced enough to seize the moment, but the Lakers won't have that problem. It'll be a tight series, but in the end the Lakers will bring home the hardware.

Brad Botkin: Lakers in 7

There's an old basketball adage that if you have the best player, you have the advantage. Well, the Lakers have the two best players in this series. And that's why they'll win. Narrowly. Yes, Miami pressures the Lakers in multiple ways: Depth, shooting, legitimate defensive options vs. LeBron James (Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo, Jae Crowder, Andre Iguodala) and Anthony Davis (Adebayo), and the Heat have the collective ability to stunt down on drivers/double-team stars and still recover out to shooters. But I also think Miami could struggle like Denver did to keep the Lakers off the offensive glass with Bam having to pay so much attention to Davis on the perimeter, and Butler's non-shooting ways might finally hamstring Miami in late-game situations against a really solid defensive team in the Lakers. I'm almost certain this series will go at least six. I'm picking seven because I really believe it's something close to a toss-up. And in a toss-up, I'm breaking the tie with the two best players.

Jasmyn Wimbish: Lakers in 5

The Miami Heat have been incredibly impressive, and could prove me wrong with a seven-game series, or perhaps make quick work of the Lakers. But I don't think that'll happen, and I also don't think L.A. lets Miami hang around for very long in this series. In Game 5 against the Nuggets, LeBron James locked in defensively and slowed down Jamal Murray just as he was helping lead Denver back in the game. It proved that LeBron can absolutely flip a switch still and be the best player on the floor. When that happens — and it will in this series — the Lakers will be hard to beat.

Michael Kaskey-Blomain: Lakers in 6

The Heat might be the deeper team, but the Lakers have the two best players in the series in LeBron James and Anthony Davis, and in the Finals that's often what it comes down to. Plus, while the Heat have a lot of key contributors making their first Finals appearance, the Lakers have a plethora of players with Finals experience including James, Dwight Howard, Rajon Rondo, and Danny Green. That experience could be a difference-maker in the series.

Sam Quinn: Lakers in 7

Miami's shooting variance alone could push the Dream Team to six, and its stellar defense could pose a threat to any possible opponent. There are matchup advantages on both sides. The Lakers will have more success against Miami's zone than the Celtics did. The Heat have more wings to throw at LeBron than any defense this side of the Clippers. But at the end of the day, this comes down to one simple number. The Heat are only plus-seven across the first three quarters of their 15 playoff games ... but are plus-68 in the fourth. Nine of their 12 playoff wins came in NBA-defined clutch settings. After the past decade or so of NBA history ... do you really want to bet against LeBron in crunch time? I know I don't. The Heat will push the Lakers to the brink, but when winning time comes, the King will reclaim his throne.

MARK CUBAN

RECONNECTS W/ DELONTE WEST

Ex-Nba Player Enters Rehab

9/29 9:12 AM PT -- 9/29 Some good news re: Delonte West ... he entered a rehab facility late Monday night, Mark Cuban tells us -- and by Tuesday morning, he already started his programs at the facility.

Once Mark Cuban located West, the Mavs owner met with Delonte's mom at a nearby hotel and together they convinced him to get treatment, according to Shams Charania.

Now, the hard work begins ... and everyone close to West is hoping Delonte can finally get on the road to recovery.

Mark Cuban is personally helping Delonte West get back on his feet ... with the Dallas Mavericks owner picking up the ex-NBA star at a gas station in Texas.

As we previously reported, the former Cleveland Cavaliers guard has fallen on tough times in recent years ... and was most recently seen holding a sign on the street in Dallas last week.

Sources connected to West's family tell us that Cuban -- who had been trying to reach DW on the phone for days -- finally got in contact with Delonte ... who agreed to meet the Mavs owner on Monday in Dallas.

We're told Cuban took West to a local hotel ... while his family formulates a game plan.

Our sources tell us West's circle of fam and friends have been trying desperately to get Delonte to go to rehab ... and he now seems open to the idea.

We're even told Cuban has offered to help cover Delonte's cost for treatment.

As we previously reported, the NBA, the NBA Players Association, Doc Rivers, Jameer Nelson and others have tried to get Delonte help in the past.

We've reached out to Cuban and the Mavs for comment ... so far, no word back.

2 NFL teams are suspending in-person activities in first Covid-19 disruption of the season

By Lauren M. Johnson and David Close, CNN

The three Titan players have tested positive for the virus.
The three Titan players have tested positive for the virus.

(CNN) — Three Tennessee Titans players have tested positive for Covid-19, forcing that NFL team and the Minnesota Vikings, who played the Titans on Sunday, to suspend in-person activities.

The Titans tests came back Tuesday morning confirming three players and five staff members were positive for the virus, according to a joint news release from the NFL and the players union. The Vikings have not announced any positive cases.

"The Titans will suspend in-person club activities starting today. Likewise, the Vikings, who played the Titans on Sunday, will also suspend in-person club activities," the release said.

"Both clubs are working closely with the NFL and the NFLPA, including our infectious disease experts, to evaluate close contacts, perform additional testing and monitor developments. All decisions will be made with health and safety as our primary consideration."

The Vikings released a statement confirming that the team has had no positive tests following Sunday's game and that its facilities would be closed, per NFL safety standards.

The NFL opened its season in mid-September with no fans in most stadiums and some top players opting out because of coronavirus concerns. For a full-contact sport like football -- in which it's virtually impossible to avoid being close to others, even under the strictest guidelines -- it was all but certain players would test positive, experts said.

Statement from the #Vikings pic.twitter.com/JMG136w2ci

— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) September 29, 2020

It is unclear how long the facilities will remain closed, or whether either team will be allowed to play Sunday. The Pittsburgh Steelers are preparing as normal for their match-up with the Titans, the team said in a statement released to the NFL Network.

"We have been in contact with the NFL regarding the positive COVID-19 tests with the Titans. We have been informed to proceed with our game preparations for Sunday's game until we are informed otherwise. We will provide more information when available," the statement said.

2020 MLB debate: Ranking the eight Wild Card playoff games Wednesday

CHRIS BUMBACA | USA TODAY

Mackenzie Salmon explains how the format, the bubbles and everything in between will work this October. SPORTSPULSE, USA TODAY

The real debate everyone is discussing as they awake this morning is ... which of theMajor League Baseball playoff games scheduled for Wednesday is the best?

For the first time in the game's history, eight postseason contests will take place in the same day. That's double the usual four played during the busiest day of a normal postseason. 

But baseball fans endured a delayed Opening Day by nearly four months, and the league saw an opportunity for an expanded postseason to drive up television revenues. Hence, Sept. 30 has been circled on calendars for quite some time, with four potential elimination games in the best-of-three Wild Card series (all in the American League).

Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Trevor Bauer delivers a pitch against the Milwaukee Brewers.
KAREEM ELGAZZAR, CINCINNATI ENQUIRER
Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Trevor Bauer delivers a pitch against the Milwaukee Brewers. KAREEM ELGAZZAR, CINCINNATI ENQUIRER

Let's rank the matchups by league.

American League

1. Houston Astros at Minnesota Twins (1 p.m. ET, ESPN2)

Already, there's a lot riding on this game. The Twins went from handling an inferior team to their 17th consecutive postseason loss in the matter of three innings. Right-handerJose Berrios will try to keep Minnesota's season alive.

The Astros, meanwhile, can lean further into their villain role— we're not yet a year removed from the exposing of Houston's cheating scandal that rocked the sport—by advancing to their fourthALDS in five years.

2. Chicago White Sox at Oakland Athletics (3 p.m. ET, ESPN)

While it's not as egregious as the Twins, Oakland has not won a playoff series since 2006, including three straight Wild Card Game losses (2014, 2018, 2019). A loss Wednesday would keep that streak going after Chicago's Game 1 victory behind Lucas Giolito's gem.

3. New York Yankees at Cleveland Indians (7 p.m. ET, ESPN)

After New York's Gerrit Cole outclassed AL Cy Young frontrunner Shane Bieber (seven runs allowed), and the Yankees scored 12 runs, it's hard to see Cleveland overcoming the deficit.

4. Toronto Blue Jays at Tampa Bay Rays (4 p.m. ET, TBS)

The good news for the Blue Jays? Staff ace Hyun-Jin Ryu is pitching. The bad news for Toronto? It's win or go home, which would end an upstart campaign from an exciting young core.

National League

1. Cincinnati Reds at Atlanta Braves (noon, ESPN)

NL Cy Young favorite Trevor Bauer gets the ball in Game 1 against one of the league's deepest lineups and an undefeated Max Fried. Sounds like a lovely way to spend a fall afternoon.

2. St. Louis Cardinals at San Diego Padres (5 p.m. ET, ESPN2)

The Padres have established themselves as the most fun team in baseball. Can they channel that energy into playoff success?

3. Miami Marlins at Chicago Cubs (2 p.m. ET, TBS)

The Cubs earning a postseason berth entering the 2020 season seemed perfectly plausible. The same could not be said for the Marlins. All that matters is winning two of three, though.

4. Milwaukee Brewers at Los Angeles Dodgers (10 p.m. ET, ESPN)

The Brewers backed their way into the playoffs. The Dodgers, once again, are the most complete team in the majors. Plus, by the 10 p.m. first pitch, you might be exhausted from baseball consumption.

Dana White Just Sent a Stern Message About He’s Going To Handle UFC Fighters

by J.L. Setoon September 29, 2020

In many ways, the UFC is trying to become more like the bigger sports leagues such as the NBA or the NFL. That said, the UFC’s president, Dana White, is nothing like the commissioners in other sports leagues. Here’s a look at what Dana White recently said about how he intends to handle his fighters.

As ESPN reported, Colby Covington recently fought and defeated the former champ, Tyron Woodley. Covington has never been the champ, but he did get a title shot last year. He fought the champ Kamaru Usman and Usman was able to knock Covington out in the fifth and final round.

After beating Woodley, Covington had a chance to talk to Usman. Covington obviously wanted another title shot against Usman, and he tried to make a case for a rematch by launching a tirade against the current champ.

According to ESPN, during this tirade, Covington said many things, and one of those things including asking Usman if he had received a call from his “little tribe” using “smoke signals.”

Usman is from Nigeria, and many people labeled Covington’s statements as racist. According to ESPN, Israel Adesanya, who’s also Nigerian, said, “This guy has directly insulted my culture, my brother and many other cultures.” Other UFC fighters, including Sijara Eubanks and Hakeem Dawodu, also blasted Covington’s statements as racist.

How Dana White responded to this

UFC president Dana White interacts with media during the UFC 253 Press Conference | Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC
UFC president Dana White interacts with media during the UFC 253 Press Conference | Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC

While many people, including UFC fighters, condemned Covington’s racist statement, White was more ambivalent about it. White told reporters that he obviously thought that racism is wrong, but at the same time, he also said that he wasn’t going to censor those kinds of statements.

“These guys all have their own causes, things, their own beliefs. We don’t muzzle anybody here,” White said, according to ESPN. That said, ESPN isn’t sure if White knew about the racist remarks that Covington had said during his verbal confrontation with Usman.

Other UFC fighters, including Eubanks, have confirmed White’s stance on the issue. She said, according to ESPN, “They have never muzzled us as fighters.”

However, not all UFC fighters were on board with White’s statement. According to ESPN, Dawodu said that the UFC “was almost worried” about his walkout song. Dawodu didn’t think that it was right that fighters like Covington could say racist things but the UFC was more worried more about a walkout song.

That said, Adesanya is more ambivalent about it, too. He said, “I don’t really care. Kamaru Usman broke his jaw, so I don’t really care.”

Is Dana White’s stance a good or bad thing?

Eubanks thought that it was generally a good thing that the UFC didn’t muzzle its fighters. According to ESPN, she said, “If you want to talk, if you don’t want to talk, if you want to be political, if you don’t want to be political, I have to appreciate the company lets us say what we want.”

However, what Dawodu mentioned is just the tip of the iceberg. For a long time now, the UFC has been trying to make itself seem more professional. One of the biggest moves it’s made in that direction has been by partnering up with Reebok.

In the past, UFC fighters were free to display their sponsors on their fight attire. However, by partnering up with Reebok, their fight attire became more uniform and professional.

There’s nothing professional about letting a fighter say racist things. Other sports leagues have to deal with that issue too, but they generally deal with it by condemning those racist statements at the very least. By not doing that, the UFC may be taking a step backwards in terms of being a professional sport.

UFC - Champion vs Champion 🏆 We’re counting down the days until UFC254!
UFC - Champion vs Champion 🏆 We’re counting down the days until UFC254!
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