Lakers Win Game 1 Of The NBA Finals Against The Miami Heat, 116-98
After skidding to a slow start, the Lakers swiftly and emphatically took control of Game 1 of the NBA Finals to beat the Miami Heat on Wednesday, 116-98.
The Lakers trailed by 13 points midway through the first quarter before unleashing a multi-faceted blitz from beyond the 3-point line and just about everywhere else on the court to lead by 17 points at halftime, 65-48.
It was a stunning 30-point turnaround.
And it got worse for the Heat after that.
The Lakers grew that lead to as much as 32 points in the third quarter. In the second and third quarters combined, they outscored the Heat, 62-39.
The Lakers, who entered Game 1 shooting 35.5 percent from beyond the arc in the postseason, were 11-for-17 (64.7 percent) from beyond the three-point line in the first half.
Anthony Davis finished with 34 points on 11-for-21 shooting and nine rebounds. LeBron James had 25 points, 13 rebounds and nine assists.
The Lakers outrebounded the Heat, 54-36. They also had a huge advantage at the free-throw line, where they made 25 of their 27 attempts, nearly twice as many as the Heat shot (14).
The Heat had a few setbacks.
Jimmy Butler sustained a rolled left ankle with 12 seconds left in the second quarter after driving against Markieff Morris. He clutched his ankle and limped to the locker room, but returned to play through the injury in the second half, finishing with a team-high 23 points.
Goran Dragic played only 14 minutes before leaving the game with six minutes left in the second quarter because of a left foot injury. Bam Adebayo left the game with six minutes remaining in the third quarter after sustaining a strained left shoulder. Adebayo's X-rays were negative, according to the Heat.
It was a statement performance for the Lakers, who inched three games closer to their first championship since 2010.
