NBA regular season, the Lakers faced the Heat yesterday, with the former suffering from three consecutive losses recently and the latter losing to the Clippers in their last game. Butler and Finney-Smith were absent for this match.
The game started with both teams engaging in an intense offensive battle, with the score alternating and a total of 72 points scored in the first quarter. Among them, Herro made all 5 shots, scoring 16 points efficiently. In the second quarter, both sides' shooting percentages dropped, but it was clear that the Lakers performed worse, only scoring 7 points in half a quarter. The Heat took advantage of this and launched a fierce 10-0 run, widening the gap to double digits. At halftime, the Lakers trailed by 12 points.
Returning in the second half, the Heat's offense encountered major problems, scoring only 19 points in a single quarter. The Lakers, led by James, fought back fiercely, and by the end of the third quarter, the gap was down to just 2 points. In the final quarter, the Lakers continued their strong momentum, launching a 9-0 mini-run to successfully take the lead. In the crucial moments, James scored seven consecutive points, directly ending the game. Ultimately, the Lakers defeated the Heat, ending their three-game losing streak.
LeBron James contributed 22 points, 5 rebounds, and 9 assists in this game, scoring 7 points in a row in the key moments to help the team secure the victory. After the game, James said, "I think the team needed my scoring in the fourth quarter. The Heat are good at stifling the offense with their zone defense, so I had to show aggression on the offensive end."
Lakers head coach JJ Redick also commented, "James has always been able to handle the ball freely in critical moments. It's great that he can score, but more importantly, we defended well and facilitated our offense, with defense being the key to our victory."
The Lakers' defense has improved, and General Manager Pelinka has not been idle, successfully adding a big man to the team. The Lakers officially announced that they have signed center Trey Jamison on a two-way contract. According to previous reports, the Lakers waived two-way contract guard Olivari to sign Jamison.
Jamison is 25 years old, stands 2.11 meters tall, weighs 117 kilograms, and averages 5.1 points and 4.3 rebounds in his career over 41 games. Due to Davis' presence, the Lakers will not recklessly pursue a starting-level center. They highly appreciate Jamison's height, tough playing style, and passionate attitude on the court. Previously, the Lakers traded Russell for Finney-Smith, and with Vanderbilt expected to return from injury soon, the Lakers believe their frontcourt depth is sufficient.