Report: LeBron James Was 'Disappointed' in Lakers' Effort in Game 3 Loss to Heat

Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James was reportedly unhappy with how his team performed in a loss to the Miami Heat in Game 3 of the NBA Finals this week.

According to Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports, James was disappointed in the team's effort during that game and felt the "stage was too big for such a drop in engagement."

That resulted in LeBron texting his teammates before Game 4 that it was a "must-win" game, and the Lakers rose to the challenge by winning Game 4 102-96 to take a 3-1 series lead.

James later explained why he conveyed such a sense of urgency to his teammates after the Game 3 defeat:

"When I woke up from my nap this morning after our team meeting, I just felt that [way]. I felt that vibe. I felt that pressure. I felt like for me, personally, this was one of the biggest games of my career. I just wanted to relay that message to my teammates, the type of zone I was in, the type of moment it was, and the kind of team we were playing against. After the Game 3 win, that confidence they had, the confidence they still have even after tonight's loss. They are just a gritty, so-damn-well-coached team. I feel like if we're going to be a championship ballclub, if we want to really be a championship team, that we got to have that same grit and that same attitude. It was my mindset. I'm still in it. You can see my mind kind of working right now."

LeBron rose to the occasion in Game 4 with a game-high 28 points to go along with 12 rebounds and eight assists. He may have also put himself ahead of teammate Anthony Davis for Finals MVP honors should the Lakers win.

Davis played a massive role in the Game 4 win as well, though, especially defensively against Jimmy Butler. After Butler went off for 40 points in Miami's 115-104 win in Game 3, AD and Co. held him to a far more manageable 22 points in Game 4.

With Goran Dragic out with a torn plantar fascia and Bam Adebayo at less than 100 percent because of a neck strain, the Lakers were able to place the vast majority of their defensive attention on Butler. Now, they are just one win away from winning their first championship since 2010, and LeBron is one victory away from his fourth career title.

He and the Lakers will have their first opportunity to seal the deal Friday night in Game 5 of the 2020 NBA Finals.