Miami Heat
117FINAL116
LA Clippers
This Heat vs Clippers recap November 5 covers one of the most dramatic finishes of the young NBA season. Klay Thompson hit a 3-pointer with one second left in overtime as the Miami Heat completed a 20-point comeback to beat the LA Clippers 117-116 at Intuit Dome.
Thompson finished with 30 points, going 8 of 17 from 3-point range, and the winner was his eighth three of the night. The game tipped off at 11:30 AM on Thursday, November 5, in Philippine time.
How the Heat came back
The Clippers controlled the first half and led by 20 points late in the second quarter. Miami cut into the lead with stronger defense after halftime, but the Clippers were still up by 10 with about four and a half minutes left in the fourth quarter.
A 9-0 Heat run then set up a tight finish. Miami had a chance to win at the end of regulation, but Bam Adebayo missed a jumper from the free-throw line at the buzzer, sending the game to overtime.
The overtime finish
Darius Garland put the Clippers ahead with a tiebreaking jumper with 1:58 left in overtime, and his floater made it 116-112 with 1:19 remaining. Adebayo answered with a fadeaway to cut the deficit to two with 1:04 left, and the Clippers did not score again.
On Miami’s final possession, Adebayo set a baseline screen that freed Thompson on the left side. Giannis Antetokounmpo inbounded the ball to him, and Thompson released the shot before Kobe Sanders could recover, putting Miami ahead with one second left. Sanders missed a long heave at the buzzer.
Key takeaway
Thompson had already made seven threes before the final play, yet the Clippers still left him open on the left side with the game on the line.
Heat vs Clippers: top performers
Adebayo set season highs in points and rebounds, while Antetokounmpo filled the box score in another all-round performance. The Heat’s supporting cast also contributed, with Davion Mitchell posting a double-double.
| Player | Team | Stats |
|---|---|---|
| Bam Adebayo | Heat | 35 PTS, 10 REB (both season highs) |
| Klay Thompson | Heat | 30 PTS, 8-of-17 3PT, game-winning 3 |
| Giannis Antetokounmpo | Heat | 27 PTS, 14 REB, 6 AST |
| Davion Mitchell | Heat | 11 PTS, 10 AST |
| Bobby Portis Jr. | Heat | 10 REB |
Garland led the Clippers late in overtime, but Los Angeles was hurt by turnovers. The Clippers shot 47.8% from the field to Miami’s 43.0%, but they committed 20 turnovers that led to 23 Heat points.
What the result means
The win continued Miami’s recovery after an 0-4 start. The Heat have now won three of their last four games and improved to 3-5, two nights after a 138-117 loss to the Lakers covered in our NBA recap for November 3.
For the Clippers, it was another painful loss in a difficult start. They fell to 1-7 after letting a 20-point lead slip away and failing to score in the final 1:19 of overtime.
What’s next for the Heat and Clippers
Miami lost 120-100 at Golden State the following night, on November 6 in Philippine time. Both teams play next on Monday, November 9, in Philippine time.
Monday, November 9 · 10:00 AM
Heat at Kings
Golden 1 Center
Monday, November 9 · 10:00 AM
Pelicans at Clippers
Intuit Dome
