Los Angeles Lakers up 2-0 in the best-of-seven

Well, Erik Spoelstra took care of filling the spots of injured forward/center Bam Adebayaand guard Goran Dragic, and they were fairly successful, but when it came to 6-foot-11 Anthony Davis and his sidekick LeBronJames, the 6-9 superstar, it was again sizing them up, and again they were just too much to contain.

But while the game one LA rout of 116-98 that was larger than the game score would indicate was a lost cause and also cost the surprising 5th-seeded Miami Heat two starting players and leading scorer and team leader Jimmy Butler playing with a sore ankle, this time it was more of a tussle even thought Spoelstra‘s Eastern Conference champions constantly had to make up deficits, but again fell short, 124-114, in game two of the National Basketball Association restarted shortened season playoff finals.

Played in the “bubble” at the ESPN Wide World Sports Complex in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., Friday night, Davis and James followed up their game one magic of a combined 59 points, 23 rebounds and 10 assists, with more of the same. This time, it was Davis scoring the game-high 34 points, bringing down nine boards and handing out five assists. He was also a menace on defense with  three blocks. James did his part as usual, tossing in 25 points, taking down a game-high 13 rebounds, and also dishing out the game-high nine assists.

“We played a much better game,” Spoelstrasaid, “we missed our two starters, but I thought Kelly (Olynyk) and Kendrick (Nunn) did a good job. Kelly was extra tough inside with 24 points and nine boards. Kendrick was good for 13 points, a second-straight good effort after coming back from the injury list, but they (the Lakers) had just too much size, even started 6-10 veteran Dwight Howard, but we did rebound better this time.”

Miami, which trailed 29-23 after one quarter, 68-54 at halftime, and 103-93 after three quarters, hung around on the play of Butler, who has a team-high 25 points to go with eight rebounds and three assists. Rookie Tyler Herro turned in 17 points in 43 minutes on the court, two less than Butler. JaeCrowder contributed a dozen points, and Miami made good on 11-of-27 3s. shot 50.7 from the field and 91.2 from the foul line.

But other statistics went to Los Angeles in its first trip in a decade to the finals. It has won the NBA title 16 times, the first five as the George Mikan-led Minneapolis Lakers, and the next 11 by the franchise that relocated to Hollywood. They had more rebounds, 44-37, assists, 32-29, steals, 6-2. blocks, 3-1, and turnovers were all even at nine each. Veteran guard Rajon Rondo played an outstanding game with handling the ball, running the offense, and tossing in 16 points and the game-high 10 assists.

Los Angeles was good for 16 3s on 47 attempts, made good at 78.8 on charity tosses, and 50.5 on field goals. Kyle Kuzmaand Kantavious Caldwell-Pope chipped in with 11 points apiece. Rondo made 3-of-4 from the 3, Davis a stellar 15-for-20 from the floor and James good for 14-of-25 from he field. Davis played 40 minutes, James 39.

Miami crept to within 10 points in the fourth quarter, but couldn’t get any closer. Each time the Heat scored, the Lakers came right back to find Davis inside, Davis outside, the same with James, and Rondo protecting the ball with his savvy and ball handling.

The Heat has won three NBA championships, the first in 2005-6 over the Dallas Mavericks, then over the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2011-12, and the San Antonio Spurs in 2012-13. The Lakers won back-to-back in 2008-09 over the Orlando Magic, and the next year over the Boston Celtics, who they have played a dozen times in the finals, losing eight. If LA wins this time, it would be number 17 and tie it with the Celts for mostNBA titles.

The Lakers are now 4-0 in these playoffs when wearing these Kobe Bryant-inspired “Black Mamba: uniform, which is black with yellow scripting. It is one of many tributes to the late Lakers‘ legend who died Jan. 26 in a helicopter crash.

:”This is what it’s all about,” James said after the game. “We’re thinking of the Bryant family and hopefully we’re making them proud.”

Game three is Sunday.