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LeBron James draws motivation from Kobe Bryant before Lakers take court for Game 4

Published by
Ryan Ward

After a surprising loss to the Miami Heat in Game 3 of the NBA Finals, the Los Angeles Lakers will look to bounce back in Game 4 with LeBron James drawing some motivation from Kobe Bryant.

Before the Lakers took the floor on Tuesday night in Orlando, James was seen getting off the team bus wearing a shirt paying tribute to the Lakers legend.

In Game 3, Jimmy Butler put on a show for the Heat by dropping a 40-point triple-double on the Lakers. Miami was without Bam Adebayo and Goran Dragic for the second straight game, but Butler was locked in and led his team to a win in spectacular fashion.

After the Heat made a statement in Game 3 proving the team could beat the star-studded Lakers without two of their starters, James and company will be looking to make a statement in Game 4 while practicing Bryant’s mantra of “Mamba Mentality.”

Unlike in the previous two games, the Heat will have Adebayo back on the floor for Game 4, while Dragic will attempt to test his injured foot to see if he can play on Tuesday.

It should be another tough battle for the Lakers with the Heat showing they have no intention of going home early. Butler’s squad is determined to prove its doubters wrong once again by pushing the mighty Lakers to the limit, even if it is to extend the series for one more game.

Ryan Ward

Ryan is a veteran sportswriter who has covered the NBA and NFL for nearly a decade. Along with numerous exclusive interviews with professional athletes, Ryan has been credentialed by the Los Angeles Lakers since 2011. Follow him on Twitter @RyanWardLA.

Published by
Ryan Ward

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