Anthony Davis, Russell Westbrook Power Lakers to OT Victory over Tyler Herro, Heat
The Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Miami Heat 120-117 in overtime on Wednesday at Staples Center.
The Lakers trailed 106-97 in the fourth quarter, but L.A. point guard Russell Westbrook shined down the stretch. He had six points and six assists in the fourth quarter alone, notably hitting a jumper for a 112-110 lead with 27.4 seconds left.
Heat forward P.J. Tucker responded with a put-back dunk for a 112-all tie. The Lakers couldn't get the game-winning bucket in the final possession, leading to OT.
Once there, Heat guard Tyler Herro shot a game-winning three-point attempt in the final seconds, but his shot did not connect.
Lakers forward Carmelo Anthony hit 1-of-2 free throws after getting fouled, and the Heat got the ball down 120-117 with six seconds remaining.
Herro, who dropped 27 points, then had a chance for a game-tying three but could not hit that one either.
The Heat played without Jimmy Butler after the first quarter. The five-time All-Star suffered a sprained right ankle that forced him to leave after seven points in 12 minutes. The Lakers played their fourth straight game without LeBron James, who is out with an abdominal strain.
Notable Performances
Heat C Bam Adebayo: 28 points, 10 rebounds, 6 steals
Heat G Tyler Herro: 27 points
Heat G Kyle Lowry: 18 points, 11 assists, 6 rebounds
Heat F P.J. Tucker: 10 points, 13 rebounds
Lakers F/C Anthony Davis: 24 points, 13 rebounds
Lakers PG Russell Westbrook: 25 points, 14 assists, 12 rebounds
Lakers G Malik Monk: 27 points, 6 rebounds
Lakers F Carmelo Anthony: 12 points, 6 rebounds
Westbrook Fantastic Down Stretch in Big Laker Win
Westbrook entered Wednesday on a nasty two-game cold spell that saw the 2016-17 NBA MVP shoot just 6-of-28 from the field and commit 13 turnovers. That effort included a 1-of-13 shooting performance in a 105-90 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers in which L.A. trailed by 31 entering the final quarter.
On Wednesday, none of that mattered as Westbrook dominated when his team needed him most.
Westbrook either scored or assisted on 24 of the Lakers' 30 fourth-quarter points. He kicked things off with this sweet no-look dish to Monk for two:
The Monk-Westbrook connection kept clicking even when things were looking bleak for L.A. Down 106-99, Westbrook found Monk on the elbow, and the former Kentucky star drilled a deep three to cut the Heat edge to four:
The Lakers turned to Westbrook to take care of this one himself in the final minute of regulation, though, and he answered the call with a pair of buckets.
The second one was awfully impressive as he executed a spin move before hitting a one-legged, off-balance shot for a 112-110 lead. Tucker responded with a dunk of a miss, though, and this game eventually went into OT.
Westbrook's teammates largely took over in overtime, with Monk notably hitting this off-balance runner:
But Westbrook also found Davis for an alley-oop that ended up being the game-winning bucket. At the time, it gave the Lakers a 119-114 lead.
It hasn't been an easy 12 games to start this season for L.A. as the shorthanded team navigates the early portion of the schedule. However, the Lakers still find themselves with a winning record after a pair of tough overtime wins, with the last one being a 126-123 victory over the Charlotte Hornets.
The Lakers will need more games like this from Westbrook to earn their second NBA title in three years. The point guard seems like he's up to the task, however, as evidenced by his gritty performance over an Eastern Conference title contender.
Herro’s Heroics Can’t Save Heat
Herro scored 22 of his 27 points after the first quarter, which is the only time Butler saw any action in this game. Miami needed someone to step up and fill the scoring void, and the team got that in bunches from the 21-year-old, who proceeded to shoot lights out for much of the game.
Herro made back-to-back three-pointers in the second quarter en route to 10 in the frame and 15 by halftime:
It was an excellent opening half for Herro, who is making cases for Sixth Man and Most Improved Player of the Year consideration.
He entered Wednesday averaging 20.3 points and 5.4 rebounds per game.
Herro kept it up in the second half, knocking down this three for a 95-93 edge:
He later hit a pullup jumper for his 25th point, and a pair of Adebayo free throws right after gave the Heat a 106-97 lead.
Miami could not hold that edge as Westbrook, Monk and Davis did work down the stretch while the Heat failed to respond.
Herro had his chances to help the Heat escape Staples Center with a win, though. It didn't work out, and Miami head coach Erik Spoelstra spoke about those opportunities postgame.
It was a tough loss for the Heat, although Miami certainly played well considering that it lost Butler after one quarter. Herro played a big part in that effort, and now the team will look to bounce back as it continues its road trip.
What's Next?
The Heat will stay in town to play the Clippers on Thursday at 10:30 p.m. ET.
The Lakers will return to the court Friday to welcome the Minnesota Timberwolves to L.A. at 10:30 p.m.
