The Los Angeles Lakers pulled out one of their best wins of the season on Wednesday night, defeating the Miami Heat 112-109. It was the Lakers’ third win in a row and a scrappy effort without LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
L.A. was led by strong performances by Dennis Schroder and Russell Westbrook. Schroder had 32 points, including clutch baskets and free throws to secure the win. Westbrook almost had his fourth triple-double of the season — he finished with 21 points, nine assists and eight rebounds. Thomas Bryant continued his strong stretch of basketball too, adding 21 points and nine rebounds.
It was an all-around effort for the Lakers, who faced a Heat team that had won four of their last five. Purple and Gold legend Pau Gasol shared his reaction to L.A.’s win on Twitter:
Best win of the season by the @lakers tonight. Unbelievable effort by the entire team!
— Pau Gasol (@paugasol) January 5, 2023
Gasol is having his jersey retired on March 7 and was recently announced as a 2023 Hall of Fame nominee. He has paid close attention to the Lakers this season as when Anthony Davis was in the midst of an impressive stretch of games, Gasol expressed his excitement on Twitter.
Even though Gasol hasn’t suited up for the Lakers in almost 10 years, he still has strong ties with the franchise. His relationship with Kobe Bryant is well-documented but he has also left an impact on the current Lakers. Guard Lonnie Walker IV spoke about his appreciation for Gasol, who offered advice when Walker was a rookie with the Spurs.
The Lakers’ win against the Heat gave them their third three-game winning streak of the season. After a tough December, L.A.’s schedule continues to be difficult in the New Year. One can only hope to see more wins and more tweets filled with Laker praise from Gasol.
LeBron reacts to Lakers win while sick at home
The Purple and Gold’s win against the Heat sent Lakers Nation into a frenzy on Twitter.
Miami came into the game hot after a slow start to the season. The Heat defeated the Lakers a week before their matchup on Wednesday night. It seemed a no-brainer they would do it again, especially without LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
But, the Lakers fought and scrapped their way to a victory. While at home with a non-COVID-related illness, LeBron live-tweeted his thoughts during the final minutes of the game. It’s safe to say he’s just like one of us when he’s not playing.
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