(Reuters) – LeBron James took another step toward his fourth championship title on Friday, as the dominant Los Angeles Lakers clinched Game 2 over the Miami Heat 124-114 to extend their lead to 2-0 in the NBA Finals.
The Lakers seized the early momentum to put up nine three-pointers in the first two quarters for a 14-point head start at halftime, as Miami struggled to fill the void left by two of their biggest playmakers, point guard Goran Dragic and forward Bam Adebayo, who left Game 1 with injuries and were not able to play on Friday.
Sixteen-time All-Star LeBron James, the night’s leading scorer, put up 33 points with nine rebounds and nine assists, while teammate Anthony Davis continued his stellar run in his first-ever NBA Finals, rolling over Miami’s defense for 32 points and 14 rebounds.
“It’s a great team that we’re playing and we understand that,” James said in an on-court interview after the game. “We understand that they put you in some really tough positions offensively.”
The Lakers face the Heat in Game 3 on Sunday.
(Reporting by Amy Tennery; Editing by Robert Birsel)
