Lakers crush Heat 127-100
LOS ANGELES -- Lou Williams scored 24 points and the Los Angeles Lakers rolled past the Miami Heat 127-100 in a testy affair on Friday night at Staples Center.
Luol Deng and D'Angelo Russell contributed 19 points apiece for the Lakers (14-26), who beat the Heat for only the second time in their last 10 meetings.
Rookie Brandon Ingram finished with 17 points and six rebounds, and Julius Randle added 15 points and six rebounds for Los Angeles. Tarik Black chipped in 10 points and 11 boards.
Center Willie Reed led the Heat (11-27) with 22 points and 12 boards. James Johnson collected 20 points and Tyler Johnson scored 11 for the Heat, who have lost seven of their last eight games.
Miami played again without center Hassan Whiteside, their leading scorer and rebounder who was sidelined for the fourth straight game with a right retinal contusion.
Tempers flared with 5:28 left in the third quarter and the Lakers leading 76-68.
Lakers guard Jordan Clarkson and Heat guard Goran Dragic got tangled up under the Miami basket before Clarkson knocked Dragic down with a forearm to the head. Both players were ejected.
Miami's James Johnson, who had to be restrained from charging the Lakers' bench after the initial skirmish, was issued a technical foul.
The Lakers blew the game open early in the fourth quarter. After a three-point play by Dion Waiters cut the Lakers' lead to 97-89, Los Angeles answered with a 12-1 spurt for a 109-90 advantage after a 3-point jumper by Williams with 7:16 left. Miami never recovered.
Dragic finished with 16 points and Clarkson scored only four.
The Lakers led 58-56 at the break. The Lakers outshot the Heat 48.9 percent to 44.9 percent in the first half. Both teams had trouble converting 3-pointers before intermission, with Los Angeles managing 4 of 15 attempts (26.7 percent) to 2 of 9 (22.2 percent) for Miami.
The Lakers made 50 percent of their shots from the field for the game compared with 41.3 percent for Miami. From 3-point range, the Lakers connected on 10 of 28 (35.7 percent) to 8 of 32 (25 percent) for the Heat.
NOTES: In his previous five games, Heat reserve G Tyler Johnson was averaging 17.2 points, four rebounds, four assists and shooting 49.2 percent. ... Los Angeles was 2-6 in the second game of back-to-backs entering the game. ... Miami was 2-18 when trailing at halftime before the Lakers' game. ... With F Luol Deng missing Thursday's game at Portland, no Laker has started every game this season. The team has fielded 13 different starting lineups. The Heat also haven't had a player start every game. Miami has penciled in 15 different lineups. ... Both clubs resume play Sunday at Staples Center. The Heat play the Los Angeles Clippers in the opening game. The Lakers face the Orlando Magic in the nightcap.