Heat go cold in L.A., iced by streaking Lakers 95-80

With temperatures set to drop soon during an early Fall cold front in South Florida, the Miami Heat look to have cooled down a bit as well. Miami dropped its second game in three tries, all on this West Coast road trip which started in Denver on Wednesday, with a 95-80 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday night.

One night after posting 124 points in Phoenix the Heat appeared mostly disjointed when on the attack. They managed to score just 80 points, their worst output of the season. Anthony Davis and the Lakers defense made it difficult for the team to find a steady offensive flow.

Kelly Olynyk’s three-pointer cut the Lakers lead to six points early in the 4th quarter. Miami would then fall apart on both ends of the floor, succumbing to an emphatic Lakers run led by LeBron James. James would score four of the next five baskets for LA, punctuated by a three-pointer with 2:06 remaining that pushed the advantage to 77-92. Miami went on to miss 13 consecutive shots to end the game. The team went 4-for-19 in the quarter and were held to a single field goal in the final nine minutes.

Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images

It was as if the Heat couldn’t miss a night prior in Phoenix, the club knocked down 15 triples on 53.6% shooting in a win over the Phoenix Suns. Friday would see them shoot 6-for-35 from behind the arc, a lowly 17%. At one point Miami missed 11 consecutive attempts from deep.

Miami was able to hold the lead to just under double-digits until late in the 3rd quarter. Jimmy Butler’s nine third-quarter points kept the Heat in striking distance. Butler would finish with 22 points, 6 rebounds and 2 steals. Goran Dragic added 19 points and 6 assists off the bench.

The Heat were without Derrick Jones Jr. who sat out with left hip strain and Justise Winslow who is still in concussion protocol.

The Lakers move to 7-1, their only loss coming in the season opener to the Clippers. Anthony Davis and LeBron James combined for 51 of the Lakers 95 points.

Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images

Heat legend Dwyane Wade looked on from near Miami’s bench for much of the evening. Wade reportedly spoke to the team earlier in the day. His oldest son, Zaire, is playing high school basketball with LeBron’s son Bronny James at Sierra Canyon in Los Angeles.

The Heat next play host to the Pistons on Tuesday.