The Los Angeles Lakers beat the Miami Heat 102-96 in Game 4 of the NBA Finals in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. on Tuesday night, leading Anthony Davis to emphasize one key for victory: defense.
Davis scored 22 points and grabbed nine rebounds, but he also blocked four shots in the win. The Lakers kept the Heat to 42.7% shooting as well.
Davis talked with reporters after the game and said that one of the big differences for his Lakers team compared to his past teams is their focus on defense.
“When I was in New Orleans, Alvin [Gentry] used to say it all the time, he used to preach defense. I had the best offensive team. We would score 130 and would never get past the second round of the Western Conference because we didn’t play defense,” Davis said, via Ben Golliver.
Davis is one of the best defending big men in the league. And LeBron James, though sometimes lacking in effort, can be a stud on defense when he hustles and dedicates himself.
The Lakers know how to make it tough on opponents. Having two of the best players in the league on their team doesn’t hurt, either.
The Lakers lead the best-of-seven series 3-1 and will have a chance to win the championship in Game 5 on Friday.
