The Miami Heat suffered a tough 93-91 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday night in the California Classic Summer League. The Heat led most of the game by double digits, but they watched the Lakers fight back in the 4th quarter.
The game went into a two-minute overtime and after the Heat and Lakers were still tied, they went into sudden death. So the rules for sudden death were simple: the first team to score wins the game. The sudden death started off with a jump ball at center court, and the Los Angeles Lakers ended up winning the tip. The Lakers got a really good look at the rim and missed, but forward Anton Watson grabbed an offensive rebound and put back the layup to win the game.
Heat Let Fourth Quarter Slip Away
It felt like the Heat were in complete control for most of the game. They were up 26-17 after the first and up by 10 at halftime. The fourth quarter is when the Heat started to lose momentum. The Heat had eight turnovers in the fourth quarter alone, and they were outscored 13-23 in the final quarter. The Lakers were poised for the rest of the game and ultimately beat the Heat in a sudden-death overtime.
Trevor Keels Continues To Impress
Trevor Keels had a very solid game for the Miami Heat and was one of their best players. His three-point shot was off; he was 1-8 from deep, but he still finished with a team-high 16 points. He was able to get to the rim after the Lakers were running him off the three-point line.
After the game, I asked Keels what allowed him to get to the rim so consistently.
“You looked really comfortable out there tonight, and you were getting to the rim, it seemed like at will. Is that something you were emphasizing, or did it happen organically tonight?”
Keels responded:
“Using my strengths, being able to use my shoulders. A lot of guys are running me off the line now, use my body.”
The key tonight was even though his shot wasn;t falling he still remained confident throughout the game and played under control. He was able to create offense off the dribble which is not necessarily one of his strengths.
Conwell’s Defense Remains Encouraging
Rookie Ryan Conwell also finished the game with a team-high 16 points for the Miami Heat. He continued his solid start in his second NBA summer league game. Conwell did struggle mightily from deep once again. His outside shot wasn’t falling, but Conwell still remained active on both ends of the floor. He contributed on the glass with 7 rebounds and also dishing out 3 assists.
Conwell shot just 2-for-11, but his defensive effort continued to stand out. He showed a lot of promise on the defensive end tonight; he moved well laterally and took some great angles to cut off his opponents. He showed toughness and persistence and his defensive intensity was a key takeaway in his first two Summer League games.
As long as he competes on every play, he will have an opportunity to carve out a role on this Miami Heat roster. He stays engaged defensively even if his shot is not falling, and that’s a great sign for a young player.
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