A Spectacular 23-Point Comeback! Lakers End Their 3-Game Losing Streak, LeBron James Explodes in the Fourth Quarter, Anthony Davis Scores 22 with 11 Rebounds
On January 16th, Beijing time, the NBA regular season is in full swing, with the Los Angeles Lakers hosting the Miami Heat. Prior to this game, the Lakers had a record of 20 wins and 17 losses, ranking 6th in the West. They recently suffered a three-game losing streak, with James and Davis' states being unstable. The Lakers have a lack of frontcourt depth and struggle with three-point shooting; they average only 41.4 rebounds per game (ranking third to last in the league) and 12.0 three-pointers (fifth to last). However, it's reassuring that the Lakers' current record is still good enough to secure a direct playoff spot. On the other side, the Heat, with a record of 20 wins and 18 losses before this game, ranked 7th in the East, and although their record is also commendable, their team situation is precarious. Butler, the star player, is on the verge of leaving the team due to conflicts with the management.
In the starting lineups, the Lakers fielded James, Davis, Reeves, Hachimura, and Christie, while the Heat countered with Herro, Adebayo, Rozier, Harkless, and Hayes. In the first quarter, Adebayo won the tip-off for the Heat, who took the lead with a missed three-pointer by Rozier. The Lakers quickly responded with a strong shot by Davis, followed by a three-pointer from Herro. Christie replied with a three-pointer of his own, and Adebayo scored with a turnaround jumper. Rozier added two points with a layup, and Reeves made a floater with a foul. The first quarter ended with the Heat leading 38-34.
In the second quarter, James started with a difficult layup, and Jovic made two free throws after drawing a foul. Reeves scored despite losing his balance, and Jovic followed up with an offensive rebound and a put-back. He then hit a long-range three-pointer. The Heat took control in the middle of the second quarter, with Herro scoring five points and the bench contributing as well. At halftime, the Heat led 66-54.
In the third quarter, Hachimura opened the scoring with a jump shot, and Christie hit a confident three-pointer. Davis used his footwork to score easily, and Reeves and James hit back-to-back threes to tie the game. The teams were neck and neck. In the fourth quarter, the Heat made several turnovers, allowing the Lakers to take the lead with a 9-0 run. James took over the scoring, while Herro missed crucial threes. With 50 seconds left, Christie's layup sealed the victory for the Lakers, who won 117-108, completing a 23-point comeback and ending their losing streak.
Statistically, Herro led the Heat with 34 points, while James had 22 points, 5 rebounds, and 9 assists for the Lakers. Davis contributed 22 points and 11 rebounds, and Hachimura added 23 points and 8 rebounds.
