It is a west coast swing.
The Miami Heat swung their biggest punch of the season. And it was connected.
The Heat added their second win in a row on their west coast trip over the defending NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers 96-94.
Talks were building up to an NBA Finals rematch feel it was not; moreover, the game was not held in the bubble.
At the present moment, the Heat are gaining success as a team; the Lakers lost their second straight game without starter Anthony Davis.
“This game, we were making multiple efforts,” Bam Adebayo said. “This was one of the games where we were rotating and communicating getting out there on guys trying to make them miss and trying to contain LeBron. It is crazy eighteen years in; he still an impactful player.
Adebayo had 16 points and ten rebounds for the Heat in the teams’ first meeting since the Lakers won their 17th championship with a six-game victory over Miami in the NBA bubble four months ago. Kendrick Nunn scored 27 points; Jimmy Butler had 24 points and eight rebounds.
The Heat scored only 15 points in the fourth quarter, but they held the Lakers to 17.
LeBron James stole the ball in the remaining seconds assisting Alex Caruso, who missed a long jumper at the buzzer.
The defending Eastern Conference champions (13-17) have been under .500 since Jan. 12. The Heat will be sufficient. They are playing in the middle of a pandemic season where everything up is in the air. All NBA teams don’t know who they are playing in the second half of the season specifically.
James and the Lakers (22-9) are still favorites to come out the west. James had an average of 19 points, nine assists, and nine rebounds. Kyle Kuzma scored 23 points connecting on four 3-pointers, and Montrezl Harrell had 18 points and ten rebounds for the Lakers.
“We’re going to continue to work on our habits and be great for each other,” James said.
James appears to be the front-runner for MVP as Joel Emiid is heating up behind him.
The beat goes on.
Heat take their talent to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday.
Lakers host Washington Wizards on Monday.
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