Los Angeles Lakers: Isaiah Thomas misses final shot against Miami Heat

The Los Angeles Lakers fell just short of defeating the Miami Heat as they failed to execute their late-game execution.

Last night, the Los Angeles Lakers fell in a close game to the Miami Heat, 92-91. The Lakers had a chance in the final seconds to win the game, but couldn’t capitalize on the opportunity. Isaiah Thomas took a step-back jumper with about five seconds left in the game but hit the front iron.

The Lakers battled for all four quarters against the Heat but made costly mistakes throughout the game. Per ESPN, the team committed 20 total turnovers against the Heat that led to 15 points. Furthermore, the Lakers were unable to force the pace of the game, as Miami slowed down the game and limited the Lakers to only 15 fast break points.

Despite a slow-tempo game for the team, Julius Randle posted another quality performance. Randle put up 25 points and 12 rebounds while shooting 53 percent from the field.

Last night was the fourth consecutive game Randle scored at least 20 points in, the first time he has accomplished that in his career. His strong play has led the Lakers offense and is helping him make a strong case for a big payday this summer.

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With Randle playing so well, head coach Luke Walton tried to force the offensive through the power forward near the end of the game. Though Randle only missed eight shots on the night, one of those misses came at an inopportune time.

Leading by one with 27 seconds left, Lonzo Ball dumped the ball into Randle on the right block. Randle attacked the basket against Kelly Olynyk and missed a left-handed floater, a shot he normally makes. The Heat eventually came down the floor and Goran Dragic scored the winning basket with a floater over Brook Lopez.

The Lakers took a timeout before the final sequence that led to Thomas’ missed shot. After the game, Walton revealed what the final play was supposed to look like. When asked by a reporter what the Lakers were looking for, Walton had this to say.

"“The ball to get to Julius. The guy defending Zo did a good job of leaving and denying Julius…but Isaiah got a clean look, though, and we can’t complain about that.”"

Randle also talked after the game about IT taking the last shot. He confirmed his trust in Thomas, saying that “That’s what he’s made his career off of, making big shots…so I have no problem with it at all.”

Randle’s trust in Isaiah Thomas contrasts what many believed to be his discontent with Thomas. The two had a visible dispute on Wednesday night against the Warriors during a timeout. However, the two appear to be just fine now.

Isaiah Thomas didn’t shy away from owning his mistake after the game either. He acknowledged that he missed an open look but that he would continue to look for shots like that. His supreme confidence has always helped him believe he can capitalize on big moments. Though, last night was not his night.

IT had one of his worst games as a Laker, scoring 5 points on 1-9 shooting. His poor performance, along with the team’s turnovers, led to their tough loss.

If not for a few key misses down the stretch like Isaiah Thomas’ shot or Randle’s floater, the Lakers could have escaped with a win. If they can improve in small areas of decision-making, they will begin to more consistently win close games.

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The Lakers play next against the Indiana Pacers at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. With a three days rest, hopefully, the Lakers come out focused and ready to get a win.