Butler’s wasn’t just numbers

Don’t ask me why, but from the start of this series I wanted that when the Heat won a game I could put the unforgettable Ricardo Fort and his battle cry MAIAMEEE !! Let’s try to go back and get more into the game and not into my crazy thoughts.

A quote from Paco Seirul Lo, Barcelona’s mythical soccer physical trainer, kept hovering in my head, who said: “Let’s not confuse what is measurable with what is important.” Because after watching Butler’s performance, with 75 points generated for the team coming out of his hands (40 scored + 35 generated from assists), Jimmy did a lot of things that can be transformed into metrics to explain this victory, but there were other questions IMPORTANT that cannot be measured.

The confidence, courage and approach that he showed to his teammates and opponents marked a new starting line for these Finals, which to most of us seemed like it could fall into a constant of epic attempts to make the same thing always happen.

During most of the first half I felt that the Lakers attacked waiting for Miami to make a zone, as if losing a second in reading something that did not happen and the Heat defended man to man like never before and took advantage of the little dynamics and the announced of the actions of imbalance they were trying. Ultimately I believe that it was what caused so many losses (19), in addition to the offensive rebounds not being transformed into points as in the previous game.

Do not change the defense when LeBron plays pick and roll (inside or outside) when the one that curtains him takes a weak defender It was a secret and that offers opportunities, but to others, not to LeBron, who still did good deeds, although he caused losses and got out of the rhythm he was bringing and also dragged Davis to irregularity (13 points between them).

Getting to the corners much better to answer because the persecution was individual also worked. The Lakers made 3-pointers, but they looked out of time, and they lost like in the first game with Howard vs a Leonard who sometimes looks a little out of this level, but scores.

The Lakers’ small ball without Davis has a key variant, LeBron-Rondo-Caruso-Morris-Kuzma or the same formation, but with Green instead of Rondo. The first had a +16 and the other -2. The first formation I had only resounding success in this 3rd game. He was +2 but the team lost. The second in the three games is -11.

Where I go? I think it’s dangerous to be so confident about equating Miami in that way. Miami in small ball or with Olynyk on the field is a better team. Although he remains sober, he was constant, he found cuts, dynamics typical of his model, he occupied the spaces better, so that after penetrating he could get the ball clearer and arrive clean. Shooters took a lot of unanswered shots and missed as surprised that the Lakers’ great defense was a little behind schedule.

Butler played at the level of a superstar, Olynyk contributed and was important, Herro and his fresh air in difficult minutes that helped to hide the important absences of Adebayo and Dragic. In the Lakers, LeBron and Davis did not combine and only Kuzma and Morris contributed. Once again the NBA warns us that we cannot be distracted.