Anthony Davis tries to play through hip spasms as Lakers fall to Heat
LeBron James has 30 points and Austin Reaves finishes an assist shy of a 23-point triple-double, but the Lakers play without Davis for the final 14 minutes and can’t complete a comeback in a 108-107 loss
Lakers star LeBron James drives as the Miami Heat’s Kyle Lowry, right, defends during the first half on Monday night in Miami, Florida. James had a game-high 30 points in the Lakers’ 108-107 loss. (Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images)
Lakers forward Anthony Davis, right, shoots over Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo (13) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Monday, Nov. 6, 2023, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Lakers forward LeBron James (23) defends Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler (22) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Monday, Nov. 6, 2023, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Lakers forward Cam Reddish (5) is fouled by Miami Heat center Thomas Bryant, left, during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Monday, Nov. 6, 2023, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro (14) shoots during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Lakers, Monday, Nov. 6, 2023, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Lakers guard Austin Reaves gestures after making a 3-point shot during the first half of their game against the Miami Heat on Monday night in Miami. (Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images)
Lakers forward Christian Wood drives as Miami Heat forward Jaime Jaquez Jr. defends during the first half on Monday night in Miami. (Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images)
Lakers forward Taurean Prince, right, dunks as Miami Heat forward Haywood Highsmith (24) defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Monday, Nov. 6, 2023, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Lakers guard Austin Reaves drives against the Miami Heat’s Josh Richardson during the first half on Monday night in Miami. (Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images)
Lakers star LeBron James shoots during the first half of their game against the Miami Heat on Monday night in Miami. (Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images)
Lakers forward LeBron James (23) drives to the basket as Miami Heat guard Jaime Jaquez Jr. (11) defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Monday, Nov. 6, 2023, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Lakers forward LeBron James (23) drives to the basket as Miami Heat forward Haywood Highsmith (24) defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Monday, Nov. 6, 2023, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Lakers star LeBron James drives against the Miami Heat’s Jaime Jaquez Jr. during the first half on Monday night in Miami. (Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images)
Lakers star LeBron James reacts during the first half of their game against the Miami Heat on Monday night in Miami. (Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images)
Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler (22) goes to the basket as Lakers forward LeBron James, left, defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Monday, Nov. 6, 2023, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Lakers star LeBron James drives against Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler during the first half on Monday night in Miami. (Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images)
Lakers star LeBron James drives as the Miami Heat’s Kyle Lowry, right, defends during the first half on Monday night in Miami, Florida. James had a game-high 30 points in the Lakers’ 108-107 loss. (Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images)
Lakers star LeBron James, left, and the Miami Heat’s Jaime Jaquez Jr. compete for the ball during the first half on Monday night in Miami. (Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images)
Lakers star LeBron James reacts after being fouled during the first half of their game against the Miami Heat on Monday night in Miami. (Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images)
Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro (14) shoots as Lakers forward Taurean Prince (12) defends during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Monday, Nov. 6, 2023, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Lakers coach Darvin Ham watches from the sideline during the second half of their game against the Miami Heat on Monday, Nov. 6, 2023, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Miami Heat guard Duncan Robinson drives to the basket past Lakers guard Austin Reaves during the second half on Monday night in Miami. (Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images)
Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler drives to the basket against Lakers forward Christian Wood during the second half on Monday night in Miami. (Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images)
Lakers forward LeBron James dunks during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Miami Heat, Monday, Nov. 6, 2023, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Miami Heat guard Kyle Lowry handles the ball as Lakers forward LeBron James defends during the second half on Monday night in Miami. (Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images)
Lakers forward LeBron James, right, is fouled by Miami Heat center Thomas Bryant (31) during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Monday, Nov. 6, 2023, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Lakers forward LeBron James talks with referee James Williams during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Miami Heat, Monday, Nov. 6, 2023, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro drives as Lakers forward Cam Reddish defends during the second half on Monday night in Miami. (Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images)
Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler, right, shoots as Lakers guard Austin Reaves defends during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Monday, Nov. 6, 2023, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Miami Heat forward Duncan Robinson looks to pass as Lakers guard D’Angelo Russell defends during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Monday, Nov. 6, 2023, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Lakers guard Austin Reaves, center, attempts a shot as Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo (13) and guard Tyler Herro (14) defend during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Monday, Nov. 6, 2023, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Lakers forward LeBron James blocks a shot by Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Monday, Nov. 6, 2023, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra, center, watches during the second half of their game against the Lakers on Monday, Nov. 6, 2023, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
The Miami Heat’s Tyler Herro drives to the basket past Lakers forward LeBron James, left, during the second half on Monday night in Miami. (Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images)
Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo goes to the basket as Lakers forward LeBron James defends during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Monday, Nov. 6, 2023, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Miami Heat forward Bam Adebayo flexes after making a basket during the second half of their game against the Lakers on Monday night in Miami. (Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images)
Lakers forward LeBron James, left, and forward Anthony Davis stand on the court after their loss to the Miami Heat on Monday, Nov. 6, 2023, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo, left, and Lakers forward LeBron James, right, meet on the court after an NBA basketball game, Monday, Nov. 6, 2023, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Miami Heat forward Kevin Love, left, and Lakers forward LeBron James meet on the court after an NBA basketball game, Monday, Nov. 6, 2023, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Lakers star LeBron James warms up prior to their game against the Miami Heat on Monday night in Miami. (Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images)
A Heat Culture sign is displayed at the center of the court during the first half of a game between the Miami Heat and the Lakers on Monday, Nov. 6, 2023, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
MIAMI — Entering Monday’s road game against the Miami Heat, a lot of attention was given to the Lakers’ slow starts.
Which made them playing the Heat to a draw in the first quarter a step in the right direction.
But despite Anthony Davis trying to play through a hip ailment for most of the third quarter and LeBron James (30 points, four rebounds, three blocked shots, three assists) and Austin Reaves (23 points, 10 rebounds, nine assists) combining for 53 points, the Lakers came up short in a 108-107 loss to the Heat at Kaseya Center.
“I’m so proud of our guys,” coach Darvin Ham said. “Just the way they came out, didn’t quit, didn’t fold the tent, stayed competitive. A lot of things we talked about this [Monday] morning came to fruition. A little disappointed we didn’t finish it out but saw a ton of great things out there: the fight, the intensity, the competitive spirit, guys going downhill making plays with force.”
Davis said he first felt the spasms when he spun in the second quarter.
He was holding his left hip after getting back on defense towards the end of the quarter and seemed to aggravate the injury after being bumped by Miami’s Bam Adebayo (22 points, 20 rebounds and 10 assists) on his left side on Adebayo’s midrange fadeaway jumper.
Davis didn’t make it back up the floor for back-to-back offensive possessions for the Lakers (3-4) before subbing out with 2:17 left in the second, with Christian Wood (12 points, six rebounds) taking his spot.
“Just an awkward play,” Davis said. “I just felt it right away, just off the spin. I think [Heat rookie and former UCLA forward Jamie] Jaquez [Jr.] and then Bam came up and it was just like a weird little sequence. I actually had been feeling great even though I’ve been playing 40 minutes, 42 or whatever. I’ve been feeling really good. It’s just an awkward play.”
With Davis off the court, the Heat (3-4) scored on three straight possessions, but a 3-pointer from Wood and a putback dunk from Reaves trimmed their deficit to 62-59 at halftime.
The Lakers said Davis was experiencing hip spasms, but Davis returned to the court in the second half and tried to play through the ailment twice in the third quarter.
But he appeared to once again irritate his hip while trying to keep up with Jimmy Butler on a cut, subbing out for the third and final time with the Lakers down 87-75 with 1:41 in the third – which was ultimately the game-deciding quarter. The Heat had five offensive rebounds and nine second-chance points in the third, which they won 28-20.
Davis wasn’t officially ruled out but didn’t return to play any minutes in the fourth.
“I felt fine a couple [of] times I did go back in,” Davis said. “It just kinda spazzed up those two more times. But I’ll be ready to go for Wednesday [against the Houston Rockets], for sure.”
The Lakers trimmed their deficit to 92-86 early in the fourth, but D’Angelo Russell was ejected with 7:52 left for picking up a pair of technical fouls for arguing.
According to the league’s pool report, Russell received his first unsportsmanlike technical foul for “an overt gesture” reacting to a no-call involving a potential kickball before receiving his second unsportsmanlike technical foul for “disrespectfully addressing a game official with vulgarity.” The free throws by Tyler Herro put the Heat ahead 100-88 – just 32 seconds after the Lakers had a chance to get within three points.
The Lakers were already without five players – Rui Hachimura (concussion), Gabe Vincent (knee), Jaxson Hayes (ankle), Jarred Vanderbilt (heel) and Jalen Hood-Schifino (knee) – because of injuries. Because of Davis’ late-game injury absence and Russell’s ejection, the Lakers played James, Reaves, Wood, Cam Reddish and Taurean Prince for the final 7:52.
The Lakers got within 108-107 with 2:39 remaining after a James and-1 post-up capped a 10-1 Lakers run. Neither team scored in the final two minutes (Miami didn’t have a field goal in the final 4:15).
Adebayo was called for traveling with 8.9 seconds remaining, giving the Lakers a final chance. Reddish missed an open corner 3-point attempt off a drive and kick from James before the final buzzer, keeping the Lakers winless on the road (0-4).
“Just be ready again,” James said of his message to Reddish. “Because there will be many more opportunities. Especially from me. I know I’m going to see two defenders late in games. So, just be ready.”
Butler scored 28 points, Herro had 22 and Duncan Robinson added 12 for the Heat. Jaquez scored nine.
Ham also got a technical late in the third, and the Lakers had a delay-of-game technical – those free throws all proving costly in a one-point loss.
“All I want is an explanation sometimes,” Ham said. “To not get that for the rest of the game once I got my technical … Miami plays a physical brand of basketball. We’re not complaining about how physical they are. We just want balance and consistency. That’s it.”
The Lakers will get Tuesday off before getting another shot at their first road win against the Rockets at Toyota Center.
