Orlando (United States) (AFP)

Miami stays alive!

At the end of a titanic duel between Jimmy Butler and LeBron James, the Heat overcame the Lakers (111-108), winning the right to play a 6th game in an NBA final which wins in indecision.

When Jimmy says, Jimmy does.

The Miami frontman was heroic.

At the end of his strength and 47 minutes out of 48 possible of a formidable distance fight against James, whose self-sacrifice and contribution (40 pts, 13 rebounds) were of the same ilk, he repeated his performance of the match N.3 where his triple-double at 40 points gave air to his people to reduce the gap to 2-1.

After the defeat in Game 4, which put the Heat against the wall, he did not hesitate to say how much he believed in his team and to be able to further raise his level of play. His 35 points, 12 rebounds and 11 passes - second triple-double in this final therefore -, to which we can add 5 interceptions which illustrate his determination to defend well, were once again decisive.

Especially since it was he who fetched this imperative victory in the money-time (8 pts) when the Lakers, behind in the score almost the entire match, were close to reversing the situation by passing twice in front of.

- "We played hard" -

But Butler preferred to focus on the collective effort in defense.

"It was about making stops. We just played hard. And then we managed to execute as we wanted in attack, we spun the ball, as we always do", he analyzed , adding "we were also lucky that Danny Green missed his open shot at the end."

Indeed, after a penetration where all the attention was focused on James, the latter brought out the ball towards his gunner, who was too short.

On what Markieff Morris fouled the kid Tyler Herro on the rebound.

And the latter, 20 years old and already icy, put his free throws to ensure victory for the Heat, finishing at 12 points.

The Heat, for which it is the 6th final in 15 years (three were won in 2006, 2012, 2013) and which was still deprived of its leader Goran Dragic (plantar aponeurosis in the left foot) thus showed tremendous resources to deprive LA of a coronation that many promised him from this meeting.

Selflessness and courage are sometimes not enough to win, the proof is that the Lakers have not lacked.

Tactical adjustments also help.

And force to recognize that Erik Spoelstra has found a new formula, relying on systems offering a lot of open shots to his shooters.

- Robinson Factor X -

Duncan Robinson was the X factor of the team with his seven baskets behind the arc (26 pts) and the other rookie, the talented Kevin Nunn, was never complexed by the stake, with important baskets (14 pts).

Constantly chasing the score - Miami was up to 11 points ahead in the first period - the Lakers mostly relied on LeBron James, extraordinary will and skill (15/21 including 6/9 behind arc), who did everything to force their fate, but to no avail.

Anthony Davis also gave it his all, hurting his right heel during the first act, then apparently more seriously in the left ankle late in the game.

But he gritted his teeth and weighed well in this meeting (28 points, 12 rebounds, 3 blocks).

But the two Californian stars were a bit alone, in a team where only Kentavious Caldwell-Pope had an impact (16 pts).

For this game, the LA players wore the famous "Mamba Edition" jersey created by Kobe Bryant.

The one with whom they had not lost in four matches during these play-offs.

He therefore had to bring them to a 17th coronation.

But Jimmy Butler and his family decided otherwise, and deserved to believe in their own shining star.

© 2020 AFP