NBA News Update: LeBron James recalls 2011 nightmare defeat to Dallas Mavericks as LA Lakers blow out Miami Heat in Game 1, AD vows to get better
LA Lakers looked unstoppable on Wednesday night as they took a 1-0 lead over the Miami Heat following a blowout Game 1 victory. LeBron James and coach Frank Vogel were all smiles in the press conference after the game as they talked about their dominating win. In this NBA news update, we'll take a look at what Frank Vogel and other LA Lakers players had to say about tonight's win over Miami Heat.
NBA News Update: LeBron James relying on past experiences to remain focussed in the series
LeBron James is playing his 10th NBA Finals this year and has already won 3 championships in the past. In spite of their commanding Game 1 win, James said he isn't satisfied yet, adding that the LA Lakers still have a lot more work to do. He said:
"We got so much more work to do. The job is not done. We are not satisfied. It's one game. It's that simple"
LeBron James went on to praise his teammate Anthony Davis for his big performance on the night. The duo combined for 59 points in Game 1 and punished Miami Heat's defense in the paint.
One of the reasons for LeBron James not being overconfident, despite the LA Lakers' win, is his past playoff experience. In the 2011 NBA Finals against the Dallas Mavericks, LeBron's Miami Heat were up 1-0 in the series but Mavericks went on to win the next game and eventually took the series. This incident is still fresh in James' mind. He said:
"That shit burns me to this day"
He went on to praise the Miami Heat players for their grit and said that the LA Lakers can't take their foot off the gas despite the lead.
NBA News Update: LA Lakers' Anthony Davis shines on his NBA Finals debut
Anthony Davis had a stellar game in the first NBA Finals game of his career. However, Davis echoed his teammate LeBron James' words and said that the job is not yet done for the LA Lakers.
Davis scored 34 points with 11-21 shooting and hurt the Miami Heat with his offensive and defensive rebounds. Speaking about his aggression in Game 1, Davis said:
"I just wanted to come out with a lot of energy, (be aggressive) on the offensive glass... not settle for too many jumpers, dominate the paint area."
LA Lakers' coach Frank Vogel commended the team for their defensive efforts and energy throughout the game. Despite trailing by 13 points during the beginning of the game, the team came back strong and won the next 3 quarters. Vogel also heaped praise on Davis for his versatility on the court. He added:
"The moment doesn't change for him... can really hurt you in a variety of ways... he's a jack of all trades on the defensive end... the bigger the moment, he's just raising his play"
This is the first NBA Finals for both Frank Vogel and Anthony Davis in their careers. It'll be interesting to see if they can turn it into a title in their very first attempt.
Also read: Miami Heat 98-116 LA Lakers: Twitter erupts as LeBron James and AD dominate in blowout win with injuries piling up for Erik Spoelstra | NBA Finals 2020