NBA: Lakers comeback try falls short as Heat sweep season series

The Miami Heat were a far cry from their locked-in postseason form of last year, but they came up with just enough to beat the Los Angeles Lakers 109-102, Thursday (Friday, PHL time) at the American Airlines Arena in Miami, Florida.

Despite leading from start to finish, and by as much as 16 points, the defending champions gave the Lakers more than enough chances to mount a comeback, the last coming at the 2:05 mark in the fourth quarter when Kendall Marshall made a jumper to get his team within five, 106-101.

However, Marshall missed the and-one free throw, and the visitors were unable to connect on their next three field goal tries, giving this to the Heat.

Miami improved to 31-12, while LA fell to 16-27. The Lakers have now lost their last four games to the Heat, including a 101-95 affair on Christmas of 2013.

Dwyane Wade missed a fourth straight game due to problems with his knee, but Chris Bosh had 31 points and LeBron James managed 27 markers, 13 boards and six assists to make up for his absence.

Up by just three points, 30-27, after the first period, the Heat opened up the second quarter with a 13-3 run, highlighted by dunks from the Heat’s ‘reclamation projects’ Michael Beasley and Greg Oden, 43-30. A Bosh layup gave Miami their biggest lead of the game, 14 points, at 57-43 late, but after Marshall canned a triple, Shane Battier missed all three of his free throws to send the teams into the locker room with a 57-46 tally in favor of the home team.

The Heat’s lead reached its zenith of 16 points in the third, via a LeBron James triple, 64-48, but it was back down to ten with a quarter left, 85-75, thanks in large part to perfect 3-of-3 shooting for seven points by Jodie Meeks.

The Lakers got an and-one play for Pau Gasol and Nick Young laid it up and in to get within five points, 85-80, early in the fourth, but James free throws rebuilt the defending champs’ 10-point cushion, 96-86.

A barrage of triples though from Meeks and Young made it a four-point game, 103-99, but Hames hit his own version of a three-pointer, stopping the bleeding for his team. Marshall replied with his failed and-one play, and the Lakers only managed a split at the line at the very end by Young, failing to connect on another field goal in the final 2:05.

Point guards Mario Chalmers and Norris Cole scored 11 apiece for the Heat. Ray Allen, starting in place of Wade, managed 10.

The Lakers drew 22 points and 11 rebounds from Pau Gasol, 22 as well for Jode Meeks. Nick Young came off the bench for 19 markers.

Miami shot a whopping 57.7 percent from the field, compared to just 45.5 percent for the Lakers. They also got better rebounding, claiming a 48-35 advantage in that stat. - AMD, GMA News


The scores:

HEAT - Bosh 31, James 27, Chalmers 11, Cole 11, Allen 10, Oden 5, Lewis 4, Battier 3, Lewis 0, Mason Jr. )

LAKERS - Meeks 22, Gasol 22, Young 19, Hill 8, Kelly 7, Johnson 7, Harris 7, Marshall 6, Sacre 4

Quarter scoring:

Miami             30-27-28-24
Los Angeles    27-19-29-27