Updated:09/30/2020 7:29h
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Los Angeles Lakers and Miami Heat They challenged themselves in the repvia of the NBA grand final through their great stars. Those of LeBfon James start as clear favorites of the duel, but they do not trust the Heat that are breaking all the forecasts.
The eaves LeBron James He again showed his more “diplomatic” side on Tuesday when he spoke about what it means to play his tenth NBA Finals, the first with the Angeles Lakers, in front of his former team, whom he guided to two league titles.
James, 35, a second season with the Lakers, the third team in his career that he has led to the Finals, previously with the Cleveland Cavaliers and then with the Heat, said that I did not want to participate in the assignment of giving a special value to those of 2020, which start tomorrow, Wednesday.
“It has no additional meaning to win a championship, no matter who you are playing against,” James told reporters on the eve of the first game. “It’s hard enough to get to the Finals, to be in this position. If you can be victorious, it doesn’t matter who you do it against».
But it would be his partner, the pivot Anthony Davis, who will play his first NBA Finals, who acknowledged that James did indeed feel a special motivation to face his former team, and have the possibility of getting his fourth champion title.
“Being back in the Finals against Miami, I think, means a lot more to him to win them than to the rest of the teammates,” Davis said. «I think this championship is probably the second, behind the one achieved with the Cleveland Cavaliers, which motivates James the most».
James won his most recent championship in 2016, when he led the Cavaliers to a 1-3 comeback in the Finals to beat the Golden State Warriors, owners of the best regular season in league history, with 73- 9.
James’ first two championships came with the Heat in 2012 and 2013, first dismantling a future MVP trio of forward Kevin Durant, point guard Russell Westbrook and guard James Harden with the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Then they also surpassed center Tim Duncan, French guard Tony Parker and Argentine guard Manu Ginobili with the San Antonio Spurs, in seven games, thanks to the great performance of former guard Ray Allen, who scored a decisive triple.
Davis said that the challenge against James is to win it all after a 4 and a half month hiatus due to the coronavirus pandemic, in addition to spending three months in the Orlando bubble, where 16 teams were confined to conclude the season, free of COVID-19.
“I think this is going to be a very difficult championship,” admitted Davis. “People said it will be the most difficult in NBA history from a mental point of view just because of the circumstances.
Something that the two Lakers stars fully agree on. «It was probably the most challenging thing I have ever done as a professional.in terms of committing to something and actually achieving it, ”James stressed when asked about life in the NBA bubble.
However, he admitted that he knew exactly what he was going to face and arrived prepared for the great challenge. «I knew when it came to what we got here“James appreciated. “However, I would be lying if I said that I knew the toughness that we have had to overcome both mentally and physically, but the only reason to do so was to fight to the maximum in search of the title of champions.”
The same goal he always had during the four seasons he played with the Heat, which he led to play in the Finals in each of them, with two titles and two losses. However, their departure was not in the best way, but now, six years later, neither party wants to talk about it, and they focus exclusively on presenting the good image of each of them.
James was effusive in his praise when asked about Heat president legendary Pat Riley and coach Erik Spoelstra. «When I listen to Pat Riley, I think of one of the greatest minds the sport has probably had.“James pointed out. «He has won at all levels. I saw the stat the other day that he’s been part of a championship in four decades. This league is not the same without Riley. ”
The Lakers star also praised Spoelstra, who he said has not been given the recognition he deserves despite how good he is and how knowledgeable he is.
“It is unfortunate that he has not earned their respect after all that he has already shown,” James complained about Spoelstra, who will coach his fifth NBA Finals with the Heat. It’s really good, if not great. It’s probably great because of the preparation he has.
Dragic: “I came to win”
The Slovenian point guard for the Miami Heat Goran Dragic faces his first NBA finals against the Los Angeles Lakers, from the early hours of Wednesday to Thursday, fulfilling the expectations he had when he signed for the Florida franchise in 2015 as he assured, in a press conference that he arrived “to win”.
«Being here means everything to me. It’s why I came to this organization, to win. I know what happened here in the past with great players and I do not give up, I will do my best job. All the people of this organization and the fans have supported me and I try to give 100% in all the games for them and at the end of the day look in the mirror and think ‘okay, I did everything I could and if it’s good enough and if not too, ‘”declared the Slovenian.
«I am very happy to be in the Finals, it has been a great season for me. But the work is not done and hopefully we still have good matches ahead», Dragic expanded in the telematic press conference prior to the first game of the NBA Finals in the bubble of the Walt Disney Resort in Orlando (Florida).
Goran Dragic, who played in the Endesa League in the 2006-2007 season, in the ranks of the current UCAM Murcia, puts the European accent on the Finals and took their schedule with humor when questioned about what plan his family will follow to see him from Slovenia: «My children will be sleeping (laughs), but my wife, my parents, my friends… they will probably go to bed, set the alarm for 2:45 and wake up excited about the game. My parents will definitely see it.
The Heat seek the fourth ring in their history, after those achieved in 2006, 2012 and 2013 – the three with Dwayne Wade and the last two, also with Chris Bosh and with LeBron James, now his rival -: «What Wade and Bosh did in the past means a lot to everyone. team, support us on social media … when you wear the Miami Heat jersey you feel the legacyYou feel that you need to compete for what they did here, ”he said.
In all three titles, and two other lost finals in 2011 and 2014, there was center Udonis Haslem, still in the team but with a supporting role. In addition, their ranks include Andre Iguodala, who will play his sixth NBA finals. Two experienced players to lead a young and inexperienced team at this point in the season.
“It was simple, they said that we deserved this and that we enjoy it, that we live in the present. Preparing is the key, they know what it is to win and they give us the confidence that we can achieve it, “he commented on how his experience will help them.
Further, Dragic praised the figure of guard Jimmy Butler, the team’s franchise player that in previous seasons, in Minnesota Timberwolves and Philadelphia 76ers, he was criticized for his companionship: “He is one of the funniest guys I have met in this league, a great competitor, a great teammate who always brings out the best in teammates. . He likes to joke a lot and we have a joke with my little brother, although he never knew him.
A Butler who appeared minutes later and was confident that he could win the title despite the fact that the big favorite is, a priori, Los Angeles Lakers: «We are a very good team, I will not say that we are better than any other, but neither that we are not favorites. I know no one was expecting us here, it’s okay; surely no one believes that we will win, that’s fine. We understand it, we use it to motivate ourselves, at the end of the day we don’t care, we are here to compete, play together and compete in our own way.
Earlier, the Heat coach, Erik Spoelstra, who was the coach in the two rings, and the two lost Finals, from the time of LeBron James in the Florida franchise, spoke to the media, whom he praised for his ability to maintain the level despite the passage of time and changes.
“It is incredible how he has maintained this level year after year in different teams. His commitment to win with different shirts, teammates and circumstances makes what he has achieved remarkable. At this level in his career he has seen everything and is just trying to win. Her ability to do what she does at her age is out of the ordinary; there is a lot of work behind the cameras to keep the shape, “she pondered.
A Spoelstra who also revealed how he digested the news of the departure of LeBron, who returned to the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2014, and the promise he made to Dragic when his transfer from the Phoenix Suns was completed. “I went through my own six-week reflection period that summer, but then you go back to work. When we switched to Goran, I promised him that we would be fighting for titles, “he declared.
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