After a Game 3 loss to a Miami Heat team without Bam Adebayo and Goran Dragic, the Los Angeles Lakers knew they had to get back on track.
The Lakers were then inspired by a gameday text from LeBron James.
“We see the message from our leader saying this is a must-win, and he just left it at that,” Anthony Davis said.
Davis was inspired to go out and have a big night defensively against Jimmy Butler.
Sure enough, Davis had four blocks in Game 4, including a clutch block on Butler in the closing seconds.
Davis is also shooting 61 percent from the field, 55 percent from three-point and 100 percent from the free-throw line in this year’s NBA Finals.
“When I woke up from my nap this morning after our team meeting, I just felt that. I felt that vibe. I felt that pressure. I felt like for me personally, this was one of the biggest games of my career,” James said. “I just wanted to relay that message to my teammates, the type of zone I was in, the type of moment it was, and the kind of team we were playing against. After the Game 3 win, that confidence they had, the confidence they still have even after tonight’s (Sept. 4) loss. … I feel like if we’re going to be a championship ballclub, if we want to really be a championship team, that we got to have that same grit and that same attitude. It was my mindset.”
When James says a game is one of the biggest games of his career, his teammates know they have to be ready to step up and contribute when they get the chance.
The Lakers will have the opportunity to close out the Heat in Game 5 on Sept. 9.
