Miami Heat adjustment No. 6: The Lakers’ size advantage
While Bam Adebayo is a great defender and can rebound the ball among the best big men in the league, the Lakers size seems to much for him to handle by himself. As if it’s not enough already having to deal with Davis, he also has to bang in the paint with the likes of Dwight Howard and Morris.
Considering he already is banged up with a bruised shoulder and neck, if he even plays in Game 2 and moving forward, will Adebayo be able to perform at the level the team needs him to? Adebayo is technically the only big on the floor for the Heat a times, and while Butler and Crowder can get in the paint and do the dirty work on the boards, they are still small in stature in comparison to the Lakers bigs.
Let’s not forget JaVale McGee who didn’t even take the floor in Game 1. The Heat was outrebounded 62-40 in Game 1 and that disparity is too great for any team to recover from. It will take a collective effort in Game 2 to prevent the Lakers from having their way on the boards again.
The Heat must call upon their bigs such as Kelly Olynyk, Meyers Leonard and even Haslem if the situation calls for it, even if it’s just to get on the floor to bring a physical and aggressive demeanor for a team that desperately needs it.
The Heat will have to make to everything count and try to even up this series and avoid going into a 2-0 hole. This Heat team has shown their resolve and the will to win when nobody expected them to be here playing for a title and now is a good time to prove all the naysayers wrong by going out and stealing a victory in Game 2.