Bam Adebayo posted 25 points and 10 rebounds as the Miami Heat held off the Los Angeles Clippers 120-119 on Monday night at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, CA. Norman Powell added 21 points in his first game back in Southern California, helping Miami improve to 4-3.
James Harden scored 29 points and Kawhi Leonard added 27 for the Clippers, who fell to 3-3 and suffered their first home loss in four games this season. Ivica Zubac contributed nine points and 18 rebounds, while Derrick Jones Jr., Bradley Beal, and John Collins each scored 12 points.
Miami shot 54.2% from the field, including 12 of 25 from 3-point range, while Los Angeles converted 17 of 41 attempts from beyond the arc. Turnovers played a key role, as the Clippers committed 21 giveaways that the Heat converted into 37 points.
The Heat took a 120-116 lead after Adebayo made two free throws with 56 seconds remaining. He missed a follow-up shot inside with 26 seconds left, and Harden’s 3-pointer brought the Clippers within a point with 20 seconds remaining. Leonard had the final chance, but his 26-foot step-back 3-pointer at the buzzer missed.
Los Angeles had trimmed a 13-point third-quarter deficit to tie the game at 105-105 with 9:55 left, highlighted by a 3-pointer from veteran Chris Paul. Miami managed to regain control in the final minutes to secure the one-point victory.
Andrew Wiggins added 17 points and Kel’el Ware scored 16 off the bench for Miami, which snapped a two-game losing streak. The Heat are now 1-2 on a four-game road trip, with their next game scheduled against the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday.
The Clippers will look to rebound at home against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday night, aiming to correct their turnover issues and close out games more effectively.
