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NBA Finals: Los Angeles Lakers top Miami Heat, take 3-1 series lead

Los Angeles Lakers forward Anthony Davis reacts after hitting a 3-pointer with less than a minute left in the fourth quarter of Game 4 of the NBA Finals on Tuesday night at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex near Orlando, Fla. Photo by Erik S. Lesser/EPA-EFE
Los Angeles Lakers forward Anthony Davis reacts after hitting a 3-pointer with less than a minute left in the fourth quarter of Game 4 of the NBA Finals on Tuesday night at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex near Orlando, Fla. Photo by Erik S. Lesser/EPA-EFE

Oct. 6 (UPI) -- LeBron James and Anthony Davis led the Los Angeles Lakers to a 102-96 win over the Miami Heat in Game 4 of the NBA Finals on Tuesday night, moving one victory away from the franchise's first championship in a decade.

Davis, who finished with 22 points, nine rebounds and four blocks, knocked down a key 3-pointer with 39.5 seconds remaining and James finished with 28 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists to push the Lakers to a 3-1 series lead. Los Angeles can win the title when the series resumes Friday night.

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"Felt like a Finals game," James said. "Felt like both teams were desperate ... and that's what it's all about. ... The job is not done."

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope recorded 15 points and five assists for the Lakers, who shot 35.9% from 3-point range. Danny Green had 10 points, while Markieff Morris and Kyle Kuzma each scored nine.

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Jimmy Butler, who had a 40-point triple-double in the Heat's Game 3 win, notched 22 points, 10 rebounds, nine assists and three steals for Miami. Tyler Herro tallied 21 points, Duncan Robinson scored 17 and Bam Adebayo -- who missed Games 2 and 3 because of a neck strain -- finished with 15 points and seven boards.

This is the 36th time in league history that a team has held a 3-1 lead in the NBA Finals. Of the previous 35 instances, the team with the advantage has gone on to win the championship 34 times.

James and the Cleveland Cavaliers are the only team to battle back from a 3-1 deficit, doing so in 2016 against the Golden State Warriors.

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