On January 14th, Beijing time, the NBA regular season continued with the Clippers hosting the Heat. The Heat started strong with consecutive three-pointers, taking control of the game. However, their shooting accuracy later dipped, allowing the Clippers to gradually close the gap. A 19-4 run in the third quarter saw the Clippers take the lead, which they maintained until the end, denying any comeback attempts by the Heat. Ultimately, the Clippers defeated the Heat 109-98, ending their two-game losing streak.
In the first quarter, Zubac and Powell scored for the Clippers, while Love hit a three-pointer for the Heat. Both teams showed excellent offensive form early on. Herro's three-pointer put the Heat ahead 18-12. Leonard stopped the bleeding with a jump shot, but the Heat remained in control with Herro scoring and Hismith hitting a three-pointer to extend the lead to 10 points. The Clippers' offense stalled slightly, but Jovic responded with a three-pointer, followed by Coffey and Batum adding points. Harden hit a buzzer-beating three-pointer at the end of the quarter, leaving the Clippers trailing 28-35.
In the second quarter, both teams struggled offensively at the start, with the Clippers relying on Bamba's three-pointer to take a 3-2 lead after more than four minutes. Porter broke the drought with a fast-break dunk for the Heat, who relied on free throws for points. Zubac scored inside repeatedly, and Harks hit a three-pointer. Herro responded with a 2+1 fast break, while Powell kept the Clippers within reach. Zubac finished with an inside dunk, and the half ended with the Heat leading 48-43.
In the third quarter, both teams found their rhythm again. Zubac had an alley-oop dunk, and Hismith hit a three-pointer. Leonard scored on a drive, and Herro followed with a three-pointer. Rozier also hit a three-pointer, giving the Heat a 59-51 lead. Harden regained his touch, scoring eight points from inside and outside, while Powell hit a three-pointer to cap an 11-0 run that put the Clippers ahead. The Heat's shooting cooled off as Zubac continued to score inside with dunks, and Powell added another three-pointer. Herro tried to stop the bleeding with a three-pointer, but Powell responded with another three-pointer to give the Clippers a 70-63 lead. Deng Luo hit a three-pointer to stop the bleeding, and Harden capped the quarter with a three-pointer and a buzzer-beating floater, giving the Clippers a 79-69 lead going into the final period.
In the fourth quarter, the Clippers continued to score, with Jones hitting a 2+1 fast break, but he later injured his finger and returned to the locker room. The Heat's offensive struggles persisted, with Porter hitting a jumper and Powell adding a three-pointer to extend the lead to 91-72. Herro tried to stem the tide with a jumper, and Harks hit a three-pointer. Powell scored on a drive, and Herro continued to add points, but Harden's three-pointer stabilized the situation for the Clippers, who maintained control and ultimately won 109-98.
Leonard played only 20 minutes in this game, contributing 6 points and 5 rebounds on 3-of-9 shooting. The trio of Harden, Powell, and Zubac combined for 76 points, with Harden scoring 26 points and 11 assists, reminiscent of his peak performance. Zubac had 21 points and 20 rebounds, while Powell scored 29 points. On the other side, Herro's 32 points, 11 rebounds, and 7 assists went in vain.