The Los Angeles Lakers secured a much-needed victory Wednesday night, overcoming a 12-point halftime deficit to defeat the Miami Heat 117-108 at Crypto.com Arena. The win snapped the Lakers’ three-game losing streak and marked their first triumph since two games were postponed due to the devastating wildfires in Southern California.
Rui Hachimura delivered an impressive performance for the Lakers, scoring a team-high 23 points. Anthony Davis contributed a double-double with 22 points and 11 rebounds, while LeBron James added 22 points and nine assists. Austin Reaves made a significant impact as well, tallying 14 points and a career-high 14 rebounds.
The Lakers’ comeback began in the third quarter, fueled by a 15-4 run that turned the game in their favor early in the fourth. A critical play occurred when Jaxson Hayes stole the ball, initiated a fast break with Reaves, and capped it off with a dunk to give Los Angeles a 90-87 lead with 10:27 left.
Tyler Herro carried the Heat with a standout performance, scoring 34 points on 7-of-12 shooting from beyond the arc. He was nearly unstoppable in the first half, going 7-for-8 from the field, including 5-for-5 from three-point range, and perfect from the free-throw line for 22 points. However, Miami couldn’t sustain their momentum after the break.
Haywood Highsmith and Nikola Jovic chipped in with 12 points each for the Heat, who were without Jimmy Butler for the final game of his seven-game suspension. The Heat finished their six-game West Coast trip with a 3-3 record, dropping back-to-back games in Los Angeles after losing to the Clippers on Monday.
Miami showed resilience on their West Coast trip, but Butler’s absence was evident in close losses. Tyler Herro continued his stellar form, but the Heat struggled to close out games, particularly against top-tier competition.
The win ended a frustrating three-game skid, matching their longest losing streak of the season. Hachimura’s offensive contributions and Reaves’ versatility provided a much-needed spark alongside the consistent production from Davis and James.
The pivotal sequence came early in the fourth quarter when Hayes’ steal and transition dunk off a feed from Reaves gave the Lakers a 90-87 lead. The momentum shifted decisively in Los Angeles’ favor from that point on.
Herro’s first-half efficiency was remarkable: 7-for-8 from the field, 5-for-5 from three-point range, and 3-for-3 from the line for 22 points.
The Miami Heat return home to host the defending champion Denver Nuggets on Friday, while the Lakers stay in Los Angeles to face the Brooklyn Nets.
This victory provides the Lakers with much-needed confidence as they look to build momentum heading into their next matchup. For the Heat, reintegrating Jimmy Butler into the lineup will be crucial as they aim to get back on track.