The Miami Heat entered the NBA Finals as a popular upset pick over the Los Angeles Lakers, but just about everything that could go wrong has so far. Goran Dragic and Bam Adebayo both got hurt in Game 1 and were unable to suit up for Game 2, and as you'd expect, that has helped the Lakers build a 2-0 lead in the Finals. Now the basketball world is bracing for an inevitable 17th Lakers championship, but Heat coach Erik Spoelstra isn't ready to give up. Even if fans have counted his team out, he was quick to say after Game 2 that "we don't give a s--t about what everybody else thinks."
"What will it take? Whatever is necessary," Spoelstra continued. "It's as simple as that. If you want something badly enough, you'll figure it out. Our group is extremely stubborn and persistent, and we just have to figure out how to overcome this opponent. We respect the high quality of opponent we're playing, but we just have to figure it out and overcome it."
The odds may not be in Miami's favor, but the series is far from over. Four teams have won the championship after starting the Finals down 2-0. The Heat are one of them, as they accomplished the feat in 2006. Also on the list is their Finals opponent, LeBron James, who did so with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016. The 1977 Portland Trail Blazers and 1969 Boston Celtics round out the group.
Those teams were led by some of the best players in NBA history, though. LeBron James and Bill Russell are both consensus top-five players of all time. Bill Walton may not have lasted quite as long as the others, but won an MVP at his peak. The Heat lack that caliber of a superstar. They are built on depth that they don't have right now.
But they fought hard in Game 2, losing by only 10 points in total and winning the second half by four. Miami's hopes may be slim, but they aren't dashed entirely. Adebayo plans to play in Game 3. Dragic's status is not yet known. The Heat have defied expectations all season. What's one more upset?
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October 03, 2020 at 12:59PM
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Heat's Erik Spoelstra on 2-0 NBA Finals deficit: 'We don't give a s--t' if fans think comeback is impossible - CBS Sports
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