Heat survive Lakers in Game Five to extend Finals series

The Miami Heat have lived to fight another day.

Thanks to a brilliant performance by star forward Jimmy Butler and a hot night from sharpshooter Duncan Robinson, the Heat defeated the Los Angeles Lakers, 111-108, in Game Five to extend their best-of-seven Finals series on Friday (Saturday morning Manila time).

Butler finished with 35 points, 12 rebounds, and 11 assists while shooting a perfect 12-of-12 from the line in yet another thriller. His free throws with 16.8 seconds remaining gave the Heat the lead for good.

Robinson finished with 26 points on 7-of-13 shooting from beyond the arc.

The loss spoiled the heroic effort from Lakers superstar LeBron James, who finished with 40 points, 13 rebounds, and seven assists. Anthony Davis added 28 points and 12 rebounds.

With the victory, Miami cut the Los Angeles lead in the series to 3-2.

Two free throws by James with 2:52 remaining tied the score at 101. Butler's jumper put Miami up by two, but James' three-point play with 1:34 left gave the Lakers a one-point lead.

Butler scored again for a one-point Heat advantage with 1:13 to go, but James' bucket allowed the Lakers take a 106-105 lead with 58.2 seconds left.

Two foul shots by Butler gave Miami a 107-106 lead with 46.7 seconds remaining, but Los Angeles grabbed a 108-107 edge with 21.8 seconds left on a put-back by Davis.

Butler made two free throws with 16.8 seconds left, giving Miami the lead for good. Danny Green misfired on a 3-pointer, but Los Angeles retained possession until Markieff Morris' turnover gave the ball back to Miami.

Herro's two fouls shots with 1.6 seconds put the Heat up by three, and James' desperation heave at the buzzer was off the mark.

The Heat led 88-82 heading into the fourth quarter.

An 11-3 run to open the second gave Miami a 36-27 advantage after a jumper by Nunn less than three minutes into the quarter. The Heat went up 50-39 after another Nunn bucket, but the Lakers rallied with an 8-0 surge to cut the margin to three after a layup by Kuzma with 2:04 left in the quarter.

Butler's 22 first-half points lifted the Heat to a 60-56 lead at the break. James had 21 points at the break.

The Lakers got a scare when Davis went down with a right heel injury with less than a minute remaining in the first quarter. However, he returned in the second quarter. —JST, GMA News/With a report from Field Level Media