Lakers, LeBron roll in Game 1 of finals, top Heat 116-98

LeBron James finally got an easy Game 1 in NBA Finals. A very easy one, at that.

Anthony Davis scored 34 points in his finals debut, James had 25 points, 13 rebounds and nine assists and Los Angeles Lakers rolled past Miami Heat 116-98 on Wednesday night.

Heat left beaten and battered.

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope scored 13 points, Danny Green had 11 and Alex Caruso finished with 10 for Lakers. y returned to finals for first time in a decade and sent a very clear mess. James’ teams had been 1-8 in Game 1 of past finals, with losses in each of last seven openers.

t this one.

“We kind of picked it up on both ends of floor," Davis said.

Jimmy Butler fought through a twisted left ankle to score 23 points for Miami. Heat lost point guard Goran Dragic at halftime to a left foot injury and saw All-Star center Bam Adebayo leave in third quarter after apparently aggravating a left shoulder problem.

Kendrick Nunn scored 18 points for Heat, Tyler Herro had 14 and Jae Crowder 12. Adebayo was held to eight points in 21 minutes, and Miami went with subs for a fourth-quarter burst that turned a total rout into something only slightly more palatable in terms of final margin.

Game 2 is Friday night.

Lakers did whatever y wanted. y outrebounded Miami 54-36, led by as many as 32 points, and made 15 3-pointers -- a big number for a team that doesn’t necessarily count on piling up that many points from beyond arc. y’re 21-3 this season when making at least 14 3s.

only stretch that provided hope for Miami came in first six minutes. Heat scored on six consecutive possessions in what became a 13-0 run to take a 23-10 lead midway through opening period.

So, first six minutes were fine for Miami.

Everything else was all Lakers.

simplest way to sum up what happened over rest of opening half is this: Lakers 55, Heat 25. Lakers came into Game 1 ranked 21st out of 22 teams that spent time in bubble from 3-point range, making only 33.6% of ir tries from deep at Disney. y were only team in postseason to have two games shooting less than 25% on 3s.

Perhaps y were due. Lakers went 9-for-11 on 3’s in final 16 minutes of first half. Of nine Lakers who played in first two quarters, eight tried a 3-pointer — and all eight made at least one.

y closed first quarter on a 19-3 run. Herro banked in a 3 from a sharp angle for a 43-41 Miami lead with 7:33 left in half, and n Lakers took off again, this time on a 24-5 burst to go into break with a 65-48 lead.

And if things weren’t already bad eugh for Miami, Heat determined at half that Dragic — playing in his first finals game — couldn’t keep going in Game 1 because of a left foot injury.

Lakers started third on ar run, this one 18-3, and rout was officially underway.

TIP-INS

Heat: Butler turned his left ankle in final seconds of first half, remained in game and started second half. ... It was 19th time that Miami lost a game this season after leading by double digits at some point.

Lakers: Lakers improved to 17-15 in Game 1s of title series. ... Davis was 10 for 10 from foul line, plus added nine rebounds, five assists and three blocks.

JAMES’ RECORDS

NBA Finals record book is basically a James scrapbook of career achievements, and he raised his spot on some of those lists Wednesday. He became seventh player to appear in 50 NBA Finals games (he could climb all way to a tie for third on that list if this series goes seven games) and passed Michael Jordan and George Mikan for fifth in finals free throws made.

FAMILIAR SPOT

Heat fell to 1-5 in Game 1 of title series. All three of Miami’s championships have come after dropping opener.

Im credits: AP

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