LeBron James, Anthony Davis Lead Lakers to 113-110 Win vs. Jimmy Butler, Heat
The Los Angeles Lakers won their sixth straight game and 16th in 17 tries as they defeated the host Miami Heat 113-110 on Friday at AmericanAirlines Arena.
Lakers big man Anthony Davis led all scorers with 33 points, and LeBron James nearly posted a triple-double with 28 points, 12 assists and nine rebounds. JaVale McGee patrolled the paint with five blocked shots.
Five Miami players scored in double digits, led by Jimmy Butler's 23 points. Butler had a chance to send the game into overtime with an open three-point attempt in the final seconds, but his effort caromed off the rim.
The Heat led 58-44 late in the second quarter, but the Lakers went on a 36-11 run capped by a James three-pointer to give L.A. an 80-69 edge midway through the third.
The Lakers opened a 107-99 lead late in the fourth but held on down the stretch as Kendrick Nunn made a pair of threes and Duncan Robinson added another. L.A. only made three of its final six free throws to give Miami a chance.
The 23-3 Lakers are tied for the league's best record with the Milwaukee Bucks. The 18-7 Heat lost their first home game of the season.
Notable Performances
Lakers G/F LeBron James: 28 points, 12 assists, 9 rebounds, 8 turnovers
Lakers F/C Anthony Davis: 33 points, 10 rebounds, 3 blocks
Lakers C JaVale McGee: 9 points, 10 rebounds, 5 blocks
Heat G/F Jimmy Butler: 23 points, 4 steals
Heat C Bam Adebayo: 12 points, 12 rebounds, 5 assists
Heat F Derrick Jones Jr.: 17 points, 4 assists
Lakers Sweat Out Close Win
The Lakers had won their last five games by an average of 16.5 points and entered Friday outscoring their opponents by 9.9 points per contest.
While many of the individuals on this year's Lakers squad played closer contests on their previous teams, this year's Lakers team has largely enjoyed stress-free endings to games. That wasn't the case Friday, as the Lakers nearly blew an eight-point lead in the final minutes.
Los Angeles gave Miami opportunities to win in part because of three missed free throws down the stretch. The Lakers defense also faltered, as three late Heat three-pointers kept this one close.
However, Los Angeles is a veteran team.
Davis hit the biggest shot of the night, a three-pointer off a James dish to give the Lakers a 110-105 edge. Davis' inside-out game is nearly impossible to stop, and that proved to be the case Friday, with The Brow doing whatever he wanted.
The Lakers' well-rounded roster looks playoff-ready despite the calendar not yet turning to January, but if this team has an Achilles' heel, it's free throws. L.A. entered the night ranked third-last in free-throw percentage, and those concerns weren't alleviated Friday in a 15-of-23 performance.
On most nights, the Lakers will build enough of a buffer that their efforts from the charity stripe won't mean much, but then there are evenings against tough teams like Miami, where those performances could mean the difference between winning and losing.
Still, the Lakers look like the NBA's best team, with all due respect to Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks. Regardless of whether games are blowouts or nail-biters, all the Lakers do is win right now.
Heat Prove They Belong Among League's Best
Any thought the Miami Heat fluked their way to an 18-6 start and a top-four Eastern Conference spot washed away Friday as they fought to the final second with the league-best Lakers.
Sure, Miami's start is surprising. Caesars Sportsbook listed the Heat with an average 43.5-win over/under total before the season, and Miami wasn't expected to compete near the top of the Eastern Conference.
But Miami features a well-rounded roster that can bring it on both ends, ranking 12th in scoring offense and eighth in scoring defense entering the night.
On Friday, the Heat showcased their offensive and defensive talents. All nine members of the rotation scored at least five points, and the team dished 24 assists to just eight turnovers against arguably the best defensive team in the league.
Miami also keeps getting excellent performances from unsung heroes like undrafted Kendrick Nunn, who hit a late three to pull the Heat within 111-110:
On defense, Jimmy Butler managed four steals, and the Lakers committed 19 turnovers.
Yes, Davis and James dominated to the tune of 61 points on 22-of-42 shooting, but they've made it a habit of crushing every team in the league this year. Miami did a fine defensive job considering its significant size disadvantage, symbolized by a 50-34 differential on the boards.
The upcoming schedule won't be easy for Miami, but they look like serious Eastern Conference contenders at this point.
What's Next?
The Heat will begin a three-game road trip against Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks on Saturday at 8:30 p.m. ET at American Airlines Center. The Lakers will continue their five-game Eastern Conference road stretch against Trae Young and the Atlanta Hawks on Sunday at 6 p.m. ET at State Farm Arena.
