LOS ANGELES — Rui Hachimura contributed significantly with 23 points, while Anthony Davis added 22 points along with 11 rebounds, guiding the Los Angeles Lakers to a 117-108 victory against the Miami Heat on Wednesday night. This victory marked the end of a three-game losing streak for the Lakers.
LeBron James also played a vital role, finishing the game with 22 points and nine assists, while Austin Reaves recorded a well-rounded performance with 14 points and 14 rebounds. This win occurred after the team returned to action following two games that were postponed due to the devastating wildfires in Southern California.
On the opposing side, Tyler Herro made an impressive impact for the Heat, hitting 7 of 12 attempts from beyond the arc to score 34 points. Despite his efforts, Miami was unable to secure a win, losing both games during their Los Angeles trip following a defeat against the Clippers on Monday. Haywood Highsmith and Nikola Jovic supported the team with 12 points each.
The Lakers found themselves trailing by 12 points at halftime but managed to come back and take the lead at 88-87 with just over ten minutes left in the game, following a strong 15-4 run.
Key takeaways from the game include Miami’s performance during their West Coast trip, finishing with a record of 3-3, despite the absence of Jimmy Butler, who just completed a seven-game suspension related to behavior deemed detrimental to the team. For the Lakers, their three-game losing streak that concluded on Wednesday matched the longest they have faced this season, alongside two other stretches where they compiled a 2-7 record from November 21 to December 6.
A pivotal moment in the game showcased Lakers’ player Jaxson Hayes, who made a crucial steal. He passed the ball to Reaves near midfield to initiate a fast break and then finished off the play with a dunk from a Reaves assist, bringing the score to 90-87 in favor of the Lakers with only 10:27 remaining.
Looking at individual performances, it is noteworthy that Herro excelled in the first half, shooting 7 of 8 from the field, which included a perfect 5 for 5 from three-point range, while also converting all three free throw attempts, resulting in a total of 22 points by halftime.
In their upcoming matches, the Heat are scheduled to host the Denver Nuggets on Friday, while the Lakers will welcome the Brooklyn Nets the same day.
