Orlando (United States) (AFP)

LeBron James' Lakers can be crowned NBA champions for the 17th time in their history on Friday, if they beat Miami for a fourth time, but Jimmy Butler's Heat, led 3-1 and back to the wall, intends to fight until at the end.

This fifth game of the NBA Finals will begin at 9:00 p.m. local time (01:00 GMT).

The first decisive for the attribution of the 2020 title, at the end of a season unlike any other, marked by the coronavirus pandemic which interrupted it for four and a half months, by the intense fight against racial injustice and by the death of Kobe Bryant, whom LA still mourns.

Their third hard-fought success Tuesday (102-96) consolidates the strong psychological advantage for the Lakers in an extremely favorable position to finally join Boston, the hated rival, in the Hall of Fame of the most successful clubs in the NBA.

James admitted that this year has been "the most difficult" of his career which has yet known ups and downs, with nine finals played, but only three won.

He is on course to add a 4th coronation on the tenth, with a third different team after Miami (2012, 2013) and Cleveland (2016).

Only Robert Horry and John Salley were crowned with three different franchises.

Besides "LBJ", Danny Green could also join this closed club, he who was champion with San Antonio (2014) and Toronto (2019).

The "King" is therefore on a mission, for the Lakers, for Kobe, for him, for history ... After Tuesday's victory, he displayed a determination to match his ambitions.

- 1 in 73 -

"The work is not done. We now have the opportunity to recharge our batteries with an extra day of rest. But above all, we have to keep our minds sharp. I will continue to work, I will continue not to sleep. until the job is done. I can't wait to get to the next game, "he warned.

James still played, obviously, a leading role on Tuesday, as did Anthony Davis, imperial in defense and "killer" with a three-point shot 39 seconds from the buzzer.

In 73 finals, only one team in League history has ever come out on top after falling 3-1: the Cleveland Cavaliers, at the expense of the Golden State Warriors, in 2016. James had a lot to do with it.

Back to the wall, Miami, which is still the sixth final in fifteen years (3 were won in 2006, 2012, 2013), is therefore forced to achieve a huge feat.

However, even if 2020 is an unpredictable year in all respects - few imagined the team of Erik Spoelstra, seeded N.5, to reach this stage of the play-offs - the probabilities are minimal.

- "We will answer" -

But it obviously takes more to discourage the Heat, a talented, courageous, combative team which, even diminished by the absence of Goran Dragic (20 pts average in the play-offs), has found good adjustments on the offensive plan, in the wake of leader Jimmy Butler, sparkling in match N.3 (triple-double at 40 pts).

But it is precisely the repetition of this type of performance that conditions Miami's survival in this final, even if Bam Adebayo made a good comeback on Tuesday, after his cervical injury which made him miss two matches, and even if Tyler Herro, this formidable rookie who has no doubts at barely 20, is also a constant danger.

No one yet knows if Dragic will finally be able to return, he who made an inconclusive test before the N.4 match.

But, with or without the Slovenian, the Heat will not abdicate.

“Our guys love competition and love a challenge. We're here for a goal. We didn't expect it to be easy. I know our squad will be ready. We will respond,” promised Erik Spoelstra.

© 2020 AFP