Lakers get first California Classic victory with blowout win over Heat

Bronny James and Cole Swider dazzled to help the Lakers get a bounce-back win over the Heat on Sunday afternoon.

The Lakers grabbed an impressive 103-83 blowout win over the Miami Heat on Sunday afternoon for their first Summer League victory at the California Classic

Bronny James ended with 10 points and two rebounds in 10 minutes. Cole Swider scored 20 points, going 7-10 from the field. Darius Bazley continued to play a great all-around game, providing impressive defense and offense. He ended with 16 points, nine rebounds and three blocks.

Dalton Knecht had a rough offensive game with just four points. DJ Steward scored 14 points with three rebounds, three assists and two steals.

After sitting out the opener, Bronny made his debut and wasted no time making an impact, throwing down an emphatic dunk on his very first possession. He also knocked down a 3-pointer, quickly notching five points. Cole continued his hot shooting with six points, including an impressive four-point play.

Both teams battled well throughout the quarter. Darius scored four off the bench for LA. The Lakers were ahead and created some separation at the end of the first with a six-point lead.

The second period started with Cole adding six more points to bring his total to 12, becoming the first player on either team to reach double figures. Despite the Heat closing the gap to just three, LA managed to hold onto the lead. Bronny started this quarter scoreless, missing all three of his shot attempts.

Darius continued to show his defensive capabilities, notching three blocks. As a team, Los Angeles was shooting 53% from the field and had a double-digit lead with 1:21 left in the frame. Bronny drained his second 3-pointer of the half and converted a pair of free throws to push his total to 10 points.

Miami’s Kel’el Ware was cooking for his team with a solid 12 points, which included one 3-pointer. Dalton scored his first points of the game with a jumper. At halftime, the purple and gold were up 13.

The Miami Heat opened the second half with a 10-0 run before DJ stopped the scoring surge with a layup. Dalton tried to find a rhythm on offense but struggled, missing both of his shot attempts and committing two turnovers.

Despite Miami’s strong start to the quarter, LA maintained control with a steady lead. DJ stepped up with six points while Sir’Jabari Rice brought a spark off the bench, contributing six points on 60% shooting. Cole added to the momentum by knocking down another three-pointer.

At the end of the third, the Lakers were up 14.

The final frame opened with LA extending its lead to 16 points. Cole continued his strong performance, adding six more points, while Rice chipped in with five to help keep the momentum going. They kept their foot on the gas and never let the Heat have the opportunity to mount a comeback.

Key Takeaways:

Darius might be on his way to a nice NBA comeback with how well he’s been showing what he can bring on both ends of the floor in these first two games.

We all expected a much better showing from Dalton. Two games in, it’s been disappointing.

Catch the next California Classic game on Tuesday against the San Antonio Spurs at 7:00 PM PT.

You can follow Karin on Twitter at @KarinAbcarians.