The Miami Heat defeated the Los Angeles Lakers 115-104 on Sunday evening. The series now sits at 2-1, with Game 4 scheduled for this coming Tuesday.
Nobody was happier about Miami regaining some semblance of hope in the NBA Finals than Erik Spoelstra’s wife, Nikki.
She immediately took to Instagram to share her thoughts on everything that has transpired up to this point.
“Man- just pinching myself,” she wrote.
“So grateful that our @miamiheat has made it to this point. We have so much fight in us! True competitors who love each other, step up when called upon, refuse to give up, always hold each other accountable, and have each other’s backs. This Miami HEAT team deserves to be on this stage.
“This is a year that will go down in history for so many awful reasons- but this is one of the good memories that my family and I, our team, the franchise, and our whole beautiful city of MIAMI can cherish and remember with joy. No matter what. It’s a series, ladies and gents. Best of 7.”
After Miami lost Game 2 to the Lakers 124-114, Spoelstra was defiant. He refused to acknowledge that his team was in trouble.
“We don’t give a s— what everybody else thinks,” he said at the time.
“What will it take? Whatever is necessary. Simple as that. If you want something badly enough, you’ll figure it out. Our group is stubborn, persistent, and we just need to figure out how to overcome this opponent.”
Why do bad things happen to good people. https://t.co/NRSKvX1j7f
— Game 7 (@game7__) October 3, 2020
Following Game 3, Spoelstra struck a different tone. Gone was the frustration and anger. In its place was a newfound respect for his guys’ scrappiness – namely Jimmy Butler’s.
“Jimmy Effing Butler,” he said during the postgame news conference.
“This is what he wanted, this is what we wanted,” he continued.
“It’s really hard to analyze or describe Jimmy until you actually feel him between the four lines. He’s a supreme, elite competitor and we needed it.”
This is why Spoelstra wanted Butler in the first place.
Yikes. https://t.co/Dr0RRJP6RU
— Game 7 (@game7__) October 4, 2020
“This is why we pursued Jimmy so aggressively,” he added. “We just felt, all across the board, there was an alignment that we’re sharing the same competitive values. … We’re aligned on that and you’re able to build a culture from that and develop a team around him.”
Tuesday night will mark a big game for all parties involved. If the Lakers prevail, then they remain in control of the series and their claiming the championship will be all but inevitable. However, should Miami steal Game 4 as well – suddenly the series is very much in doubt.
Related: Anthony Davis Has Request For Lakers Fans After Game 3
Charles Kruger has been credentialed to cover two Super Bowls, four NBA Finals, and one World Series. A 20-year veteran in the sports world, he has sources spanning the NBA, MLB, NFL, UFC and NASCAR. Currently residing in Los Angeles, Calif., he is Game 7’s go-to source for rumors surrounding the Lakers, Clippers and Dodgers.
