The Miami Heat lost two games in a row this weekend, one to the struggling Brooklyn Nets, and seem to be hitting a skid en route to a repeat championship.
The Heat have appeared in three straight NBA Finals, winning back-to-back championships, and LeBron James said he and his teammates are struggling to find motivation this season to complete the three-peat. Each team the Heat goes against gives the reigning champions their best game, and the Heat are growing tired of the grind, according the CBS Sports.
“It’s a long and grueling season for all of us, not just us because we’re the champs,” James said after Friday night’s loss. “We’ve played a lot of basketball in our four years together. It’s taken a lot of wear and tear on all our bodies. It’s mentally fatiguing. And you just try to find the motivation the best way you can as an individual and as a collective group.”
It’s not time to hit the panic button just yet for the Heat, as the team is dealing with injuries on the front line. They missed three starters due to injuries with Dwyane Wade, Mario Chalmers and Shane Battier all missing time.
“We’re banged up right now,” James said. “We’re not an excuse team right now, but we’ve got three starters [out]. And even though we’ve got a lot of depth, it’s hard to make up for three starters being out, so we could all use a break for sure.”
The Heat will take a trip to the White House on Tuesday, followed by a game against the Wizards on Wednesday night.
