Miami Heat traveled to L.A. and walked out with a clutch 120โ119 win over the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday night at the Intuit Dome.
Bam Adebayo led the Heat with 25 points and 10 rebounds, pulling the team through their most critical sequences.
Norman Powell added 21 points in his return to Southern California, providing a spark off the bench.
For the Clippers, James Harden poured in 29 points and 8 assists, while Kawhi Leonard scored 27โyet both came up just short.
Miami converted 54.2% of their field goal attempts and forced 21 turnovers, which translated into 37 pointsโa telling advantage.
The Clippers surged out of the gate, pulling ahead behind a dominant second quarter (41 points). But the Heat responded with a furious third quarterโscoring 37โthey erased deficits and held firm down the stretch. With 56 seconds remaining, Adebayo sank two free throws to push Miami ahead 120โ116. Although Harden hit a triple with 20 seconds left to cut the gap to one, Leonardโs final step-back 3 at the buzzer rimmed out.
The Heat snapped a two-game losing streak and are now 4-3 on the early trip.
The Clippers, meanwhile, fell at home for the first time in four tries and remain 3-3, raising questions about finishing ability when the pressure rises.
Miamiโs ability to turn opponent turnovers into points and deliver in crunch time suggests theyโre tightening up as contenders.
For the Clippers, even with elite star talent, their execution in close momentsโboth offensively and defensivelyโneeds sharpening.
The Heat hit the road again, heading to Denver for their next matchup. Theyโll aim to build momentum off this tough-earned win.
The Clippers will host the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday with hopes of resetting their rhythm and bounce back home.
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This was more than just another regular-season gameโit was a microcosm of what title-chase teams must prove: composure under fire, depth beyond stars, and opportunistic defense. Miami showed it. The Clippersโฆ still have questions unanswered.
