Not tonight: Lakers’ title hopes delayed as Heat survive Game 5
The King doesn’t get his crown tonight.
LeBron James scored 40 points with 13 rebounds and seven assists, but the Lakers lost Game 5 of the NBA Finals 111-108 on Friday night. The Lakers still lead 3-2 in the best-of-seven series with Game 6 coming Sunday.
Anthony Davis had 28 points and 12 rebounds, but Jimmy Butler led the Heat to a dramatic victory with 35 points, 12 rebounds, 11 assists and five steals.
Duncan Robinson helped the Heat with 26 points. Miami had six of seven players who entered the game score in double figures while the Lakers had just three double-digit scorers.
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope was the Lakers’ third-best scorer with 16 points.
Danny Green had a chance to get into double figures, but missed an open three-pointer late that would have given the Lakers the lead. After exhaling, Butler said on the TV broadcast that the Heat won with a stroke of luck when Green didn’t make that shot. Green finished with eight points, making two-of-five three-pointers.
Lakers final possession goes awry with turnover
Down one with 16 seconds left in the fourth quarter, LeBron James drove to the basket and dished a pass back to Danny Green ,who had an open three-pointer from straight on.
Green missed the shot and Markieff Morris gathered the rebound, but threw the ball out of bounds trying to get it to Anthony Davis on the low block.
Jimmy Butler hits two free throws as Heat go back in front
Anthony Davis fouled Jimmy Butler on a drive to the basket and Butler hit two free throws to put the Heat back up by one: 109-108 with 16.8 seconds remaining.
Butler has made all 12 of his free throws tonight, leading to 35 points.
Anthony Davis’ put-back basket before shot clock puts Lakers up with 21.3 seconds left
Anthony Davis has 28 points for the Lakers, including two on a put-back basket to put the Lakers up 108-107 with 21.8 seconds remaining. Davis also has 12 rebounds.
The Heat took a timeout to set up their final play.
LeBron James, Jimmy Butler trading big shots
LeBron James has 40 points, 13 rebounds and seven assists as the Lakers lead 106-105 with 46.7 seconds to go.
Jimmy Butler has 31 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists for the Heat.
Lead see-saws back and forth late
LeBron James has the Lakers ahead 104-103 with 94 seconds remaining after a three-point play. He has 38 points.
The Lakers were on a 17-3 run to take a three-point lead. The Heat responded with baskets from Bam Adebayo and Duncan Robinson to take back the lead. Robinson’s three-pointer put the Heat up by two, a slim lead James erased at a free-throw line seconds later.
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is the only Laker in double-digit scoring besides James and Anthony Davis. Caldwell-Pope has 16 points.
Davis, who was injured in the first quarter, was struggling to move around the court late, limping up and down the floor. He was diagnosed with a heel bruise.
Robinson has 26 points.
KCP gives Lakers fourth-quarter lead
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope hit a corner three-pointer with 6:18 left in the fourth quarter to put the Lakers ahead 97-96. It’s the Lakers’ first lead since the first quarter.
Caldwell-Pope has 14 points, including three three-pointers. LeBron James shoveled the pass to him for his seventh assist of the night. James also has 33 points and 10 rebounds.
Heat lead by eight in fourth quarter
LeBron James is trying to carry the Lakers to a title, but the Miami Heat are leading 93-85 with 9:05 to go in the fourth.
James has 31 points on 12-of-15 shooting with six three-pointers, eight rebounds, five assists and two steals. But the Lakers star was called for a charge in the fourth quarter, which was the Lakers’ fourth turnover in three minutes. Frank Vogel called a timeout to challenge the call.
Anthony Davis has 22 points and 10 rebounds for the Lakers.
Jimmy Butler has a second Finals triple-double with 27 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists. He delivered a 40-point triple-double in Game 3 as the Heat needed that win to avoid a 3-0 deficit in the series.
While Butler is starring for the Heat, he’s getting a lot of help from Duncan Robinson, who has 23 points. Robinson is six-for-12 shooting from three-point range and drew the disputed charge on James.