NBA roundup: Heat rout Lakers, Celtics handle Pistons at home

Miami guard Tyler Herro delivered an outstanding performance as the Heat decisively defeated LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers 134-93 on Wednesday, leaving the Lakers searching for solutions following their most significant loss of the NBA season.

Herro tallied 21 of his 31 points during the third quarter and contributed to the Heat's franchise record-tying 24 three-pointers with nine successful shots from beyond the arc.

Jimmy Butler contributed 17 points, while Bam Adebayo recorded 14 points, 10 rebounds, and seven assists for the Heat, who established a franchise record with 42 assists, maintaining a high level of offensive efficiency against a sluggish Lakers team.

The Heat entered halftime with a 17-point lead, but Herro's explosive third quarter, in which he made seven three-pointers, allowed him to equal the franchise record for the most three-pointers in a single quarter.

"This past road trip, we let two slip, and it was the energy ... it was just our energy was off," Adebayo remarked. "We approached this game with great energy, and the results speak for themselves."

The Lakers, who had just suffered a 29-point defeat to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday, appeared uninspired on both offense and defense.

"I'm embarrassed, we're all embarrassed," said Lakers first-year coach JJ Redick. "This was not a game where we exhibited the necessary fight or professionalism."

"There needs to be accountability," he continued. "I take responsibility for this, but there must also be accountability on the court."

Despite the loss, there were positive indicators for James, who had been struggling with his shooting but managed to score a team-high 29 points on an efficient 12 of 18 shooting performance.

The league's all-time leading scorer also ended a streak of four consecutive games without a three-pointer, successfully making one of his four attempts from long range.

That three-pointer marked the 2,451st of his career, surpassing Kyle Korver for seventh place on the league's all-time list.

However, this achievement offers little solace as the Lakers have now lost six of their last eight games.

A visibly frustrated James stated that the issue was not related to the game plan.

"If you don't want to come to compete ... that's a different issue," he expressed. "It's definitely embarrassing, for sure."

On Friday, the Los Angeles Lakers will compete against the Atlanta Hawks, who ended the Milwaukee Bucks' seven-game winning streak with a 119-104 victory in Milwaukee.

Jalen Johnson contributed significantly for Atlanta, scoring 23 points and securing 13 rebounds, while De'Andre Hunter added 20 points from the bench, helping the Hawks achieve their fifth consecutive win.

Despite Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo's 31 points and Damian Lillard's 21 points, Milwaukee was unable to maintain an early 10-point lead.

The Hawks took control late in the first quarter and maintained their advantage throughout the game.

In another matchup, the Boston Celtics triumphed over the Detroit Pistons, overcoming the absence of their star player Jayson Tatum. The Celtics led by as much as 20 points, ultimately winning 130-120.

With both Tatum and Jrue Holiday out due to knee injuries, Jaylen Brown rose to the occasion, leading the Celtics with 28 points and nine assists. Brown's impressive first-half performance, where he scored 23 points, set the tone for Boston's victory, despite a late rally from the Pistons.

Kristaps Porzingis, who is still regaining his form after ankle surgery in November, contributed 26 points, nine rebounds, and two blocks for Boston.

For Detroit, Cade Cunningham nearly achieved a triple-double with 27 points, nine rebounds, and 14 assists, while Tobias Harris also scored 27 points.

The Orlando Magic rebounded from a significant loss to the New York Knicks, securing a 106-102 victory against the injury-stricken Philadelphia 76ers in Philadelphia.

The 76ers, missing both Paul George and star center Joel Embiid, managed to narrow a 10-point deficit in the fourth quarter to just one point with 22.3 seconds left. However, the Magic sealed the game with free throws from Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Franz Wagner, and Jalen Suggs.

Wagner led the Magic with 35 points, while rookie Jared McCain topped the 76ers with 24 points.

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