A day of triumph for Los Angeles teams and a setback for the Celtics in Toronto

The Lakers and Clippers defeated the Heat and Nets, respectively, and will move into the playoff spots in the West.

El alero de los Miami Heat Duncan Robinson (55) y el alero Nikola Jovic (5) defienden ante el alero de Los Ángeles Lakers LeBron James (23) durante la segunda parte en el Crypto.com Arena. — LeBron James, during the game against the HeatGary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images/Sipa USA / Cordon Press

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16 de enero, 2025

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The Los Angeles teams gave their beleaguered fans a reason to smile amidst the devastating fires, securing victories that lifted their spirits. The Lakers and Clippers both triumphed over the Heat and Nets, respectively, moving into direct playoff spots in the West. Meanwhile, the reigning champions, the Celtics, stumbled once again, this time against the Raptors. Their rivals for second place in the East, the Knicks, overcame the 76ers in a thrilling game.

The Clippers delivered the dominant performance of the night, defeating the Nets by 59 points (126-67). The ever-reliable James Harden was the standout player for Los Angeles, recording a double-double with 21 points and 11 assists, along with six rebounds. However, the game’s top scorer was Kawhi Leonard, who finished with 23 points.

The Nets collapsed after the first quarter, which ended in a 21-21 tie. From the second quarter onward, however, there was only one team on the court. Brooklyn struggled both offensively and defensively, failing to score more than 16 points in any of the remaining three quarters and conceding a staggering 105 points.

Unstoppable LeBron

The neighboring Lakers had to work harder to secure a 117-108 victory over a Heat team still without Jimmy Butler, who is out on suspension. Los Angeles rallied in the second half, with LeBron James and Anthony Davis leading the way. Rui Hachimura also made a significant impact.

The Heat came out strong in a game that appeared to be evenly matched from the start. Tyler Herro led all scorers with 34 points in 38 minutes, but his effort wasn't enough to secure the victory.

Controversial defeat for Dallas

With this result, both L.A. teams have secured direct playoff spots. The Clippers sit in fifth place with a 22-17 record, closely followed by the Lakers, who have one fewer win and the same number of losses. James' team benefited from the Mavericks' controversial last-minute loss.

In a controversial decision, the referees disallowed a basket for Dallas with five seconds remaining, after Trey Murphy blocked the shot when the ball had already touched the backboard. Despite protests from the Mavericks, who were missing their best players, no whistle had been blown, preventing a review of the play. To seal the win for the Pelicans (119-116), Murphy sank two free throws with one second left, adding insult to injury for the Texans.

The Celtics struggle: Fall to Toronto as the Knicks prevail

The surprise of the night came with the defending champion Celtics' loss to the Raptors (97-110). This marked Toronto's second consecutive victory and their tenth of the regular season. Meanwhile, the Boston Celtics are once again facing doubts and have fewer chances to challenge the Cavaliers for the top spot in the East.

As if that weren’t enough, their main rival for second place, the Knicks, overcame a resilient Sixers team 125-119 in overtime. Jalen Brunson’s 38 points were key to the victory, while Tyrese Maxey led Philadelphia with 33 points.