HBO’s new drama series We Are Who We Are debuted this month and as part of the promotional effort, the network has partnered with designer Caleb Flowers for a digital ‘zine playing off the show’s theme. The project will be available in a USB drive containing images, music, and video from the show’s stars and creators, as well as other artists who inspire them, such as Kid Cudi and Blood Orange’s Devonte Hynes, who scored the show and is releasing the score as an album. The content provided aims to answer the question of who “they are,” mirroring the show’s theme of self-discovery.
Cudi and Hynes are just two of the creators contributing to the project, including model Aaron Phillip, musician/producer Instupendo, poet/musician TWEAKS, creative director Quinn Wilson, writer Mimi Zhu, visual artist Riya Hamid, and musician Raveena Aurora. The show’s stars Chloë Sevigny, Jack Dylan Grazer, and Jordan Kristine Seamón also provide content for the zine, which will come in a limited quantity of USBs starting September 28. Don’t worry if you miss out though, the content will also be available in zip format to download at wearewhoweareHBO.com.
Throughout his time in the NBA Bubble this summer, LeBron James has been working from afar with More Than A Vote, the voting rights organization he leads, to make it easier for Americans to vote in the upcoming election.
According to Astead Herndon of the New York Times, the organization has signed up more than 10,000 poll workers in Black electoral districts so far, and while they have their sights set on other specific cities in the coming weeks, many of those poll workers will be celebrated during Game 1 of the NBA Finals.
On the jumobtron of virtual fans along the baseline and sideline during Game 1, many newly assigned poll workers from across the country will sit in on the game as they are honored by James and More Than A Vote. This report comes from Herndon, who was provided data from More Than A Vote to back up these impressive numbers as well as how the campaign will honor these poll workers.
Going forward, James’ group is partnering with the NAACP Legal Defense Fund to target 11 cities that are populated by a high proportion of people of color, sit in swing counties for the upcoming election, or both, including Flint, Michigan, and San Antonio, Texas. When James tosses his trademark chalk into the air before Game 1, he’ll be looking into the faces of folks who have committed to participating in the electoral process even more deeply this year than ever before thanks to the work of More Than A Vote.
Sigur Rós leader Jónsi will soon release Shiver, his first solo album since 2010. He revealed the tracklist this summer, and while it was mostly free of features, the album will be graced by a guest spot from Robyn. Now, the mononymous European music icons have shared a video for their new collaboration, “Salt Licorice.”
The song shares some sonic similarities with Sigur Rós, but it would never be mistaken for a song by the band. Instead, it’s more of a glitchy, experimental electronic affair, grounded by Robyn’s vocals and moments of pop bliss.
Press materials note the song has Jónsi and Robyn “commiserate in the coldness of aging, nostalgia, and depression, sorrows that are made easier when shared with a kindred soul.” Robyn also says of the track, “‘Salt Licorice’ is such a cute and perfect pop song. It makes me want to dance violently and make out at the same time. It was a no-brainer to say yes to singing it with Jónsi. The pretty emails I get with a thousand emojis in them from him is a bonus that came with our collaboration as well!”
Earlier this month, nearly fifty artists like Hayley Williams, Death Cab For Cutie, and Phoebe Bridgers got together for the benefit compilation Good Music To Avert The Collapse Of American Democracy. The project was a huge success, raising over a quarter of a million in just one day for the initiatives Color Of Change and Fair Fight. Now, even more artists like Pearl Jam, John Prine, and Fleet Foxes have contributed the compilation’s follow-up, this time benefitting voter’s rights.
For the upcoming Good Music To Avert The Collapse Of American Democracy: Volume 2, 100 percent of the net proceeds from the record’s sales will go to Voting Rights Lab, a nonpartisan organization that brings state advocacy, policy, and legislative expertise to the fight for voting rights. The organization also works in partnership with non-profits across the country to secure, protect, and defend the voting rights of all Americans. Just like the last project, the massive compilation will only be available for 24 hours exclusively through Bandcamp, so fans need to be quick about purchasing the project.
The masterminds behind the large-scale compilation record are author Dave Eggers, along with artist managers Jordan Kurland and Darius Zelkha. About the album, Eggers said:
“When over $250,000 was raised for the first compilation — in one day — we were floored and it spurred us to do another. We thought we’d get twenty musicians, tops, for this second one, but in about ten days, 77 bands and singers came through. It was a flood. Every day, the urgency of this election becomes clearer, so we’re trying to send as much money into voter access as we can. The compilation is a bit of concentrated hope.”
Echoing Eggers’ statement, Kurland added: “We could have included 200 artists, that’s how united the music community is around the fight for voting rights. We are so inspired to have this incredible collection of artists in an effort to raise money in support of the important work that Voting Rights Lab is doing.”
Check out the Good Music To Avert The Collapse Of American Democracy: Volume 2 cover art and tracklist below.
Bandcamp
1. David Byrne — “People Tell Me”
2. Pearl Jam — “Get It Back”
3. Little Dragon — “Night Shift”
4. The Postal Service — “We Will Become Silhouettes (Live from Berkeley, CA 2013)”
5. Cold War Kids — “Almost A Crime”
6. Black Pumas — “Colors (Live)”
7. Mark Ronson & Ilsey Juber — “No Time To Die (Bond Demo)”
8. Guided By Voices — “Game Of Pricks (Live from the Teragram Ballroom, LA on 12/31/19)”
9. Phoenix — “No Woman (Whitney Cover)”
10. Yola — “To Be Young, Gifted and Black (Song: Nina Simone, Arrangement: Aretha Franklin)”
11. Ciggy Black — “Flypaper”
12. Arcade Fire Feat. David Byrne — “This Must Be the Place (Naive Melody) [Talking Heads Cover, Live]”
13. Nilüfer Yanya — “Day 7.5093”
14. Hippo Campus — “No Poms (Live From First Ave)”
15. Yoko Ono Plastic Ono Band — “There’s No Goodbye Between Us (Remix by Deakin of Animal Collective)”
16. Yeah Yeah Yeahs — “Criminals (Atlas Sound Cover)”
17. The Harlem Gospel Travelers — “Keep On Praying”
18. Perfume Genius — “Jory (Demo)”
19. Feist — “Human Touch (Nina Simone Cover)”
20. Jack Johnson — “My Mind’s For Sale (Live in Lake Tahoe, NV 2017)”
21. Phantogram — “You Are So Beautiful (Joe Cocker Cover)’
22. Big Boi And Sleepy Brown — “We The Ones, ft. Killer Mike and Big Rube (Organized Noize Remix)”
23. Tenacious D — “Rize of the Fenix (Live from Lollapalooza 2019)”
24. Alex Ebert — “No Jokes Left”
25. John Prine — “Your Flag Decal Won’t Get You Into Heaven Anymore (Live) feat. Margo Price, Jeremy Ivey, and Kenneth Pattengale”
26. Courtney Marie Andrews, Liz Cooper and Molly Sarlé — “America (Simon & Garfunkel Cover)”
27. Jenny Lewis — “Callaloo”
28. NNAMDÏ Feat. Lala Lala — “Dislocate”
29. !!! — “Feels Good”
30. Pup — “Edmonton”
31. Beach Bunny — “Dream Boy (Live)”
32. Madi Diaz — “Home On The Range”
33. Sturgill Simpson — “All Around You”
34. Shakey Graves — “Good Listener”
35. Bob Mould Band — “In A Free Land (Live in Seattle, WA 2019)”
36. Andrew Bird — “Tables and Chairs”
37. Caleb Giles — “Focus”
38. The Marías — “Hold It Together (Demo)”
39. The War On Drugs — “Eyes To The Wind (Live)”
40. Aimee Mann — “Batten Down”
41. Chicano Batman — “Invisible People (Live)”
42. Buzzy Lee — “Cinderblock”
43. Fleet Foxes — “Drops In The River (Live From The Ryman)”
44. Charly Bliss — “Ohio (Demo)”
45. The Gossip — “Room For You (Demo)”
46. Khemist — “40oz of Freedom”
47. The Dip — “Friday Mixer”
48. Rhiannon Giddens and Dirk Powell — “Wish In Vain”
49. Margo Price — “Devil’s In The Details”
50. My Morning Jacket — “Big Decisions (Jim’s Demo)”
51. Old 97’s — “Southern Girls (Cheap Trick Cover)”
52. Colin Meloy — “Bring On The Dancing Horses (Echo & The Bunnymen Cover)”
53. Matt And Kim — “Let’s Go (Acoustic)”
54. Songhoy Blues Feat. FOKN Bois — “Don’t FOKN Worry”
55. Wolf Parade — “ATA”
56. Tunde Adebimpe — “Comfortably Numb (Pink Floyd Cover)”
57. Stone Gossard — “Near”
58. Dan Deacon — “Rally Banner”
59. Girlpool — “Babygirl And Mental”
60. Calexico — “All Systems Red (Live in Tucson, AZ 2005)”
61. Muna — “Walk On Water (Toyin’s Song)”
62. Nada Surf — “Stories Going ‘Round”
63. Surfer Blood — “New Direction”
64. Illuminati Hotties — “Content//Bedtime / Superiority Complex”
65. Mexican Institute Of Sound — “La Cura”
66. Marginal Prophets — “What The Man Don’t Know (Won’t Hurt Him)”
67. Michelle — “Sunrise (Remix)”
68. Whitney — “Valleys (My Love) (Live from SPACE)”
69. Bright Eyes — “Pan and Broom (Demo)”
70. Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit — “Fooled Around and Fell In Love (Elvin Bishop Cover, Live)”
71. Bedouine — “Let Me In Your Life (Bill Withers Cover)”
72. Rhye — “Hymn (Becky and the Birds Remix)”
73. Faye Webster — “Vanishing Twin (Blake Mills Cover)”
74. Deaf Charlie — “Something Real”
75. Thao & The Get Down Stay Down — “Chosen”
76. Nick Hakim — “Quadir (Extended)”
77. Flume x Toro y Moi — “The Difference”
Good Music To Avert The Collapse Of American Democracy: Volume 2 is out 10/2. Pre-order it here.
Some of the artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
After a shaky couple of weeks where fans were concerned about the fate of the show, Harley Quinn was officially renewed for a third season in the middle of September. On top of that, the hit animated series will also be making the permanent jump to HBO Max, where it reaches a much larger audience than its previous home on DC Universe.
Following the renewal order, Harley Quinn creators Justin Halpern and Patrick Schumacker sat down for a lengthy interview with Deadline, for which they talked all things Harley and their plans for season three. One of the more interesting items was when Halpern opened up about their approach to tackling a more “adult” take on Harley and how they were inspired by a classic TV sitcom:
Our first take on it, which is what we ended up doing, was like, “Look, we want to do Mary Tyler Moore, but if she was a psychopath.” Pat and I love sitcoms; we love the history of sitcoms We’ve worked in sitcoms, and to be able to take that kind of template and put it within the craziness of a show like this, we felt like we could tell some very funny, interesting stories that hadn’t been done.
Halpern and Schumacker also revealed that season three will focus on Harley and Poison Ivy’s budding relationship, with an emphasis on Ivy’s point of view to keep things fresh. “It’d be interesting to flip that, and dig deeper into Ivy and her life, and tell some stories through her point of view,” Halpern said. “So, we’re excited to be able to do that because it feels completely new—somewhere to go that we haven’t gone, that isn’t going to make the audience feel like, ‘We saw two seasons of that. What the f**k is this?’”
There was, however, some bad news. Fans are in for a wait for season three, which “optimistically” will arrive in late 2021. But on a bright note, Halpern and Schumacker don’t foresee any obstacles to production due to the pandemic. Thank you, sealed recording booths.
At this point, Haim are used to performing music from their recently-released album Women In Music Pt. III without an audience. Released in July during the lockdown, the album marked a strong display of vulnerability from the three sisters. Though much of their livestreams, like their Tiny Desk concert, have been from their living room, Haim have now found the perfect spot for a socially-distanced set: the empty parking lot at LA’s iconic venue The Forum. The three fittingly brought their Women In Music Pt. III track “Gasoline” to the concrete lot for their appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live.
Posted up outside The Forum, the three sisters still managed to deliver an engaging rendition of “Gasoline.” The performance opens with Danielle on the drum kit, setting the song’s rhythm before Alana and Este chime in with bouncy guitar and funky bass riffs.
Ahead of the performance, Danielle and her sisters explained their inspiration behind the album’s title: “The name came to me in a dream and I woke up laughing so I told my sisters.” Alana added, “I liked it because we are literally women in music and we always get written about that way, so it seemed cool to make it our own and control the narrative. It made me think about some of our experiences more.” Este also said, “I just thought it was funny, plus the initials are WIMP3. ‘Wimp’ is a hilarious word.”
Watch Haim perform “Gasoline” on Kimmel above.
Women In Music Pt. III is out now via Sony. Get it here and revisit our review of Haim album here.
From Anthony Davis’ game-winner to the re-emergence of Dwight Howard to a trip back to the NBA Finals, this postseason for the Lakers has been full of moments that remind Laker fans of the late Kobe Bryant. As the team prepares for Game 1 on Wednesday, a new story from Dan Woike of the Los Angeles Times shows one more way the organization is keeping Bryant with them as they look to hang banner No. 17.
A sampling from the Lakers’ Tuesday practice saw 13 players and coaches donning Kobe’s signature Nike sneakers, a daily reminder of Bryant’s legacy and connection to this team. While assistant coach Jason Kidd appreciates he can finally wear them without worrying about Bryant taking it out on him on the court, Howard said there was no choice but to lace them up for every game in the Bubble. And Davis, who grew up idolizing Bryant, called it “amazing” to see Bryant’s impact live on through the shoes and said he’d wear them for “as long as (he) can.”
But it was Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka who gave the best insight into the meaning of the sneakers to Woike. After all, as Bryant’s former agent, Pelinka was part of the design process with Bryant and Nike years ago.
“When I put them on, it just triggers so many incredible memories of sitting around a table where Kobe would be collaborating with the Nike designers about how he wanted the shoe to look and the inspiration behind it,” Pelinka said.
“… He was obsessed with the details. He was always reverse-engineering life, always look at the details. And when I put on that shoe, that’s the inspiration I get — how am I going to make the most of this moment, this day, this game. That’s what he stood for. That’s how he approached life.”
Wearing the sneakers, Pelinka added, is a “tangible reminder” of Bryant’s spirit and that of his daughter, Gianna, being with the team even all these months after their passing. That reminder is an “inspiration” for the team as they get ready to compete for a championship.
As social media changed recording artists’ relations with their fans and made some aspects of the industry more transparent, those fans have become more and more invested in the concrete markers of their favorite artists’ success. Artists have encouraged this somewhat, celebrating milestones like chart placements and sales awards on their social media, which has only made fans more enthusiastic about achieving those milestones.
However, some fans have been known to take this way more seriously than even the artists themselves, organizing streaming campaigns to juice their faves’ stats and even turning downright mean in their efforts to prove they support the “best” artist. Some, like the Barbz, even turn on Nicki Minaj’s collaborators when she misses out on No. 1s — which you’d think they’d be used to, but nobody ever said common sense was a prerequisite for membership.
In a recent interview with Complex, Nicki’s “Move Ya Hips” collaborator ASAP Ferg addressed this odd tendency, reacting to the hashtag some Barbz trended when the Floor Seats 2 tracked failed to reach No. 1 on the Hot 100: #ASAPFergIsOverParty (it debuted at No. 19 after extensive campaigning). Some of them apparently blamed Ferg for the disappointment, claiming he failed to “submit” sales numbers to Billboard for review in time. For his part, Ferg seems to accept that it comes from a good place of rooting for Nicki to win, even if they do overreact based on misconceptions of how things work (misconceptions that have been propagated and encouraged by other stars, like Tekashi 69).
“Man, I love all the passion, because that just shows me how far her supporters are willing to go for her,” Ferg enthused. “I would want my supporters to do the same thing. But it got to the point where it was just like, okay, all right. We have to be real with ourselves. Why wouldn’t I want this song to go number one? And there’s no such thing as giving in your sales to Billboard. They collect that themselves… I don’t know who gave them that information. I’m a huge fan and pleased to work with someone like Nicki, so that’s an opportunity that I wouldn’t even want to mess up for myself. You know, that’s the best way to describe them: super passionate. And I don’t fault them for that. They’re just super passionate, and I love it.”
Rye is a key building block of many a good bourbon. And while we dig wheated bourbons around these parts, today we’re focusing on their rye-forward counterparts. But we’re not talking about any old bourbon with rye in the mash bill. No high-rye bottles today. This time around, we’re looking at the bourbons that add just a pinch of rye to the mash. Not enough to dominate the taste but more than enough to be noticed.
The result? A moderate amount of rye in a bourbon mash brings about a warmth that leans more into peppery spice than alcohol heat. Rye also tends to be a little more fruit-centric, with hints of orange peel — though that’s highly dependent on the yeasts in play. The idea is to take the sweeter edges off the sweet corn in the bourbon and create a more balanced sip of whiskey.
The eight bottles of bourbon below were picked because they have a rye content of less than 20 percent in their mash bills. In this case, we only picked low-rye bourbons in the 10-17 percent range. This, of course, is not a comprehensive list. Brands like Four Roses often blend low-rye (20 percent) and high-rye (35 percent) mash bills to make most of their line (except for single barrels obviously), so they didn’t make the cut.
Overall, the low-rye bourbons below represent that nice dollop of spice and fruit that rye can bring to the table, without overpowering the corn. We’ve also kept these bottles in the affordable price range — so you can actually find them and taste for yourself.
ABV: 45% Distillery: Willett Distillery, Bardstown, KY Average Price:$25
The Whiskey:
This juice hails from the much-beloved and family-run Willett Distillery. This is the distillery’s own juice, as they’ve moved away from sourcing for this label. The 13 percent rye is fairly standard for most bourbons (as you’ll see from most entries on this list).
Still, this bourbon really shines for being a very affordable bottle from a big-name distillery.
Tasting Notes:
This leans more into classic bourbon territory than anything else, with a nose of vanilla, caramel, oak, and a hint of orange. Florals arrive on the palate but take the backseat to the warmth, lightness, and sweetness of caramel corn. A hint of fruitiness arrives late, with a spicy warmth leading towards more oak as it fades quickly away.
Bottom Line:
Again, at this price point, you could do a lot worse. This is a solid cocktail mixer that also works as a beer back shot.
Russell’s Reserve 10 Year — 13% Rye
Wild Turkey
ABV: 45% Distillery: Wild Turkey, Lawrenceburg, KY (Campari) Average Price:$36
The Whiskey:
Wild Turkey’s bourbons sit at 13 percent when it comes to their rye content. And one thing Wild Turkey is known for is well-crafted consistency, so why not pick a higher-end bottle?
In this case, we’re going with Russell’s Reserve 10-year-old. The juice is hand-selected from the Turkey warehouses by Jim and Eddie Russell — one of whiskey’s most iconic father/son teams — for its drinkability.
Tasting Notes:
Little touches of Christmas spice meet vanilla, caramel, and oaky depth on the nose. The sip leans into the spices as an orange zest counterpoint drives toward a hint of old leather and more musty oak. The end is full of warming spice that hugs you as it fades.
Bottom Line:
At ten-years-old, this bottle could easily cost double what it does now. There’s a refined nature that really helps this one shine in a simple cocktail (think Manhattan) or on the rocks.
Jim Beam Single Barrel — 13% Rye
Jim Beam
ABV: 47.5% Distillery: Jim Beam, Clermont, KY (Beam Suntory) Average Price:$39
The Whiskey:
Jim Beam’s low-rye mash bill is pretty much the standard across the industry (though their high-rye mash bill also shines). To get the full picture of Jim Beam’s prowess as one of the world’s biggest brands, you really need to give their single barrel expression a try. The juice is hand-selected from less than one percent of the barrels in Jim Beam’s warehouses, making this a solid bottle of booze to have around.
Tasting Notes:
Naturally, this being a single barrel, the taste is going to be slightly different with each batch. The last one I tried was a classic bourbon with notes of vanilla, caramel, oak, and a wisp of smoke up top. The caramel and vanilla are cut off by a bright orange oil zestiness next to a bolder sense of the oak. The sip has flourishes of florals and orchard fruit as it fades away.
The addition of a few drops of water brought about a dark cacao note and bitterness.
Bottom Line:
At just under $40 per bottle, this makes for a good sipper, cocktail base, or highball mixer. Though, I dig it in a highball mostly.
Booker’s — 13% Rye
Drizly
ABV: Varies Distillery: Jim Beam, Clermont, KY (Beam Suntory) Average Price:$85
The Whiskey:
Sticking with Beam’s 13 percent rye mash bill, Booker’s is a prime example of how the exact same juice can get lucky in the barrel. This expression is a small-batched version of Jim Beam from barrels that hit just the right notes of refinement. Generally speaking, those barrels are six to eight years old when they’re selected, small-batched, and sent out into the world uncut and unfiltered.
Tasting Notes:
This is a big sip of whiskey. There are bold notes of dark spice next to hits of worn leather, vanilla, caramel, and charred oak. A whisper of cherry lurks in the background as the dram really leans into the oak and spice. The end is long and warm with touches of that cherry and oak supporting a final billow of smoke.
Bottom Line:
This is a solid sipper to have on hand. Just make sure to open it up with a little water or a rock. It’s also a good gift bottle for the bourbon enthusiast in your life.
Michter’s Small Batch Bourbon — 11% Rye
Michter
ABV: 45.7% Distillery: Michter’s Distillery, Louisville, KY Average Price:$46
The Whiskey:
Finally getting out of the 13 percent territory, Michter’s matched up with Brown Forman’s juice for a very low eleven percent rye addition their whiskey. While the rye is very low, there’s still some serious depth to this well-crafted and aged sip. Each bottling is small-batched from no more than 20 barrels.
Tasting Notes:
We were lucky enough to try this during an Expression Session recently. This is a classic bourbon, with notes of vanilla, oak, and caramel greeting you. From there, the sip leans into stone fruits with plenty of oak support. There’s a mild spicy warmth and a hint of smoke on the end, especially when you add water.
Bottom Line:
This is a classic bourbon cocktail base. Use it in your next old fashioned.
Evan Williams Single Barrel — 10% Rye
Evan Williams
ABV: 43.3% Distillery: Heaven Hill Distillery, Bardstown, KY Average Price:$30
The Whiskey:
Over at Heaven Hill, the standard bourbon mash bill includes more malted barley than rye — 12 percent compared to ten percent. When it comes to Evan Williams, the stuff is so affordable, there’s really no reason not to go all the way and just buy their single barrel expression.
It’s an award-winning whiskey that hits as a classic bourbon all around.
Tasting Notes:
Most recently, this release opened with sweet woods, almost burnt caramel, and a bump of vanilla. That caramel becomes a fairground caramel apple with a slightly tart bite next to more of that oak with a hint of spicy orange. A little bit of water brings about an almost salted caramel edge as the warm sip fades away.
Bottom Line:
At this price point, you can buy two. One for highballs and one for cocktails.
Elijah Craig Small Batch Bourbon — 10% Rye
Reservebar
ABV: 47% Distillery: Heaven Hill Distillery, Bardstown, KY Average Price:$32
The Whiskey:
Sticking with Heaven Hill, Elijah Craig Small Batch is another solid bourbon at a very accessible price. This NAS (no age statement) juice replaced the much-beloved 12-year-old expression a few years back. The juice is a small-batched blend of eight to 12-year-old barrels and continually wins the top awards.
Tasting Notes:
Vanilla meets ripe fruits on the nose with a nice hint of corn, oak, and even fresh mint. The spice is refined to an eggnog nutmeg dusting while the oak supports a svelte texture. The sip embraces the sweetness of the fruit as it slowly fades away towards a final wisp of smoke.
Bottom Line:
This is an easy sipper that tastes like it costs $60, easily. I dig it on the rocks or in a cocktail.
Buffalo Trace — <10% Rye
Buffalo Trace
ABV: 45% Distillery: Buffalo Trace Distillery, Frankfort, KY (Sazerac) Average Price:$30
The Whiskey:
Buffalo Trace’s mash bill #1 is a low-rye bill but a bit of a cypher. Buffalo Trace doesn’t publicize their bills. The word on the street that’s fairly accepted is that this mash bill is less than ten percent rye. Their mash bill #1 produces some of their most iconic labels from Eagle Rare to George T. Stagg to Colonel E.H. Taylor and, of course, their signature Buffalo Trace Bourbon.
Tasting Notes:
Vanilla mingles with molasses on the nose alongside a very distant echo of mint. That sweet molasses gives way to a buttery toffee with oak depth and mild spiciness. A dark fruitiness comes into play late as the sip fades away while highlighting the oak and spice.
Bottom Line:
This is a great all-around bourbon. It’s works wonders in a cocktail and is refined enough to pour over a glass of rocks.
The Los Angeles Lakers have enjoyed two-way success on the way to the 2020 NBA Finals. LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and company have scored 115.6 points per 100 possessions, good for the best mark among teams advancing beyond the first round. Defensively, Frank Vogel’s team is also playing quite well, limiting three high-powered offenses (Blazers, Rockets, Nuggets) to just 107.8 points per 100 possessions on the way to a 12-3 record and a playoff-leading +7.7 net rating.
In advance of their matchup against the Miami Heat, most of the attention will inevitably be paid to James, Davis, and Miami’s star power — Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo, and even the resurgent Goran Dragic. That makes sense given the star-level performances that will likely be on display but, as usual in any playoff setting, it is exceptionally likely that a game, or maybe two, will swing on the periphery, with the Lakers needing to limit Miami’s supporting cast.
Much already been made of the gap in perceived depth between the two teams, with the Lakers deploying the two-best players. You can, from there, argue how many members of the Heat would rank about the No. 3 member of the Lakers in a “best player” hierarchy. Still, the Lakers are receiving quality supporting performances from players like Rajon Rondo and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, helping to bridge the gap when the team needs timely contributions.
In this series, however, the Lakers will face a challenge that they haven’t quite seen before. As noted above, Los Angeles has certainly faced high-powered offenses on the way to the finals, with Damian Lillard capable of just about anything in Portland, the Rockets attacking with a new-look, small-ball approach, and the Nuggets riding the red-hot wave of Murray and Nikola Jokic. Still, those teams were greatly centered on star power, with many of the Lakers’ supporting pieces able to hide away on lesser offensive options. Against Miami, that simply won’t be the case.
Yes, the Heat will deploy lineups featuring Andre Iguodala, who has never exactly been a sharpshooter, while Jae Crowder is struggling from long distance after a catching fire earlier in the postseason. However, Miami can and will deploy lineups featuring four high-end shooters and Adebayo, with the Heat enjoying a great deal of offensive success throughout the Bubble. Not only can the Heat put pressure on any defense with floor spacing, but Miami is tactically sound, running fantastic off-ball action and utilizing their creation wisely, running sets through varied players to maintain versatility.
As a shooting team, Miami has merely been solid, not spectacular, during their run to the playoffs and, honestly, that might be scary for the Lakers. Duncan Robinson is the only rotation regular shooting 40 percent from three-point range in the playoffs but, during the regular season, the former Michigan marksman made 44.6 percent of his long-distance attempts, proving a 40 percent clip is not a fluke. From there, Tyler Herro enjoyed a fantastic breakout game in the Boston series but, overall, the rookie is hitting a manageable 37.8 percent of his threes, a figure which can be seen as sustainable. Dragic, Butler, Iguodala, and Crowder all land between 34 and 37 percent, with Kelly Olynyk (who could be a weapon in this series if Los Angeles plays big) looming at 31 percent after a 40.6 percent clip in the regular season.
While it isn’t everything against a team that deploys Butler, Dragic, and Adebayo as players that can attack the rim both gracefully and forcefully, the Lakers will be tasked with limiting both accuracy and efficiency from long-distance. Los Angeles did allow Portland to shoot 37.9 percent from three in the first round but, in the same breath, the Blazers posted the second-lowest volume in the first round on only 30.6 attempts per game. The Rockets were able to generate 40.8 three-pointers per game in the conference semifinals but, given that they attempted 51 per game in the first round, Los Angeles was rightly lauded for their defensive stinginess. The Nuggets offered only 28.4 attempts per game from three-point range, with Murray famously limited to only 29 long-distance attempts in five games.
Against Miami, the Lakers won’t be able to fully sell out on shooters, and that could be problematic. While Butler and Adebayo are stars, they are not the heliocentric offensive forces that Lillard, Murray, and James Harden are, forcing Los Angeles into a different approach on defense than they’ve had to deploy during this run. Granted, Los Angeles has enjoyed success against just about anyone defensively this year, but it’s been a long time since they’ve seen an attack like what Miami will bring, and Erik Spoelstra is renowned for his ability to install adjustments and unexpected wrinkles during a seven-game series.
The Lakers are the favorites in the 2020 NBA Finals, and that comes with the territory for the team with the best net rating in the playoffs. Furthermore, Los Angeles has the two best players in the series and arguably one of the best players of all-time on their side. That is usually a good recipe but, after some impressive defensive performances, this should be their greatest test, as the Lakers can’t simply ignore supporting pieces in an attempt to throw extra bodies at superstars. This time, the Heat can put several marksmen on the court, making life potentially difficult for the likes of Caldwell-Pope, Rondo, Alex Caruso, Kyle Kuzma, Markieff Morris, and others.
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