Anthony Davis scored 26 points and grabbed eight rebounds, and LeBron James added 12 of his 25 points in the fourth quarter, leading the host Los Angeles Lakers past the Miami Heat 95-80 on Friday night.
Miami was led by Jimmy Butler, who put up 22 points after scoring 34 in his previous game. Heat backup point guard Goran Dragic added 19 points off the bench. But the Heat shot just 35.0 percent from the floor, including 17.1 percent on 3-pointers (6-for-35). It was Miami's lowest-scoring and poorest-shooting game of the season.
James, who led Miami to NBA titles in 2012 & '13, had produced triple-doubles in his previous three games, becoming the first Lakers player to achieve that feat since Magic Johnson in 1987. But James fell short of a triple on Friday, dishing six assists and snatching four rebounds.
The Lakers have won seven straight games, the longest active win streak in the Western Conference. The Lakers are 4-0 at home this season and haven't lost anywhere since their season opener.
Miami played on short rest, having won 124-108 on Thursday night in Phoenix. The Lakers had been off since Tuesday.
Guard Avery Bradley, who missed the Lakers' previous game due to a contusion on his right leg, returned to the starting lineup and scored nine points in 25 minutes.
The Heat were without starting forward Justise Winslow and backup wing Derrick Jones (hip injury). Winslow has missed four of the Heat's last five games, first with lower-back stiffness and now as he is in the concussion protocol.
Los Angeles, which led by as many as 11 points in the first quarter, settled for a 28-21 advantage at the end of 12 minutes. Davis was brilliant in that quarter, going 5-for-5 from the floor and 2-for-2 from the foul line, totaling 12 points. Miami, meanwhile, missed all four of its 3-pointers and was outrebounded 16-7.
Miami won the second quarter and cut its deficit to 48-46 by halftime. A key for the Heat getting to the foul line more than the Lakers in the first half, making 13 of 15 to the Lakers' 2-for-2 showing.
The Lakers, though, stretched their lead to 14 points before ending the third quarter with a 78-66 advantage.
James was then the difference in the fourth quarter as the Lakers cruised.
--Field Level Media
Miami | L.A. Lakers | |
Jimmy Butler 22 | Scoring | Anthony Davis 26 |
Goran Dragic 7 | Assists | Anthony Davis 7 |
Bam Adebayo 9 | Rebounds | JaVale McGee 10 |
Jimmy Butler 8 | Free Throws Made | Anthony Davis 4 |
Bam Adebayo 3 | Steals | Anthony Davis 2 |
Bam Adebayo 1 | Blocks | Anthony Davis 3 |
Team | Points | FG% | 3PM-3PA | FTM-FTA | Assists | Rebounds | Blocks | Steals | Turnovers |
Miami | 80 | 35.0 | 6-35 | 18-24 | 18 | 37 | 2 | 9 | 13 |
L.A. Lakers | 95 | 44.9 | 8-32 | 7-8 | 30 | 48 | 5 | 6 | 18 |