Lakers vs Heat California Classic preview: Hoping for a better showing

After an underwhelming debut in this year’s California Classic tournament, the Lakers look to bounce back against the Miami Heat on Sunday. This is their first game of a back-to-back with the finale against the San Antonio Spurs taking place on Monday.

Start time and TV schedule

Who: Los Angeles Lakers vs. Miami Heat

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When: 1:30 p.m. PT, July 5

Where: Chase Center

Watch: ESPN, League Pass, Prime Video

The Lakers opened their summer campaign with a rather forgettable performance. Not only were they blown out by the Golden State Warriors on Friday night, but they looked exactly like a team that just played a basketball game together for the first time. Thankfully, they won’t have to dwell on that loss for long.

To be fair to the Lakers’ first game of the summer, it wasn’t all that bad. The biggest positive takeaway was how this year’s 24th pick in the NBA Draft performed. Cameron Carr wasted no time in proving his potential. The 21-year-old from Baylor University put up 19 points in 23 minutes, showing signs that he is indeed NBA-ready.

As for Adou Thiero, well, let’s just say he had an off night, but it certainly wasn’t for a lack of effort. It seemed like he forced a lot of possessions and it didn’t help that his shots weren’t going in either. On top of that, he also had a bad fall in the second quarter, but the sophomore confirmed that he’s alright. Hopefully, we see him bounce against the Heat like the rest of the team.

Speaking of the rest of the team, Coachella Valley Lakers forward Arthur Kaluma — who tallied 12 points, six rebounds and two blocks— performed well. But outside of him, nobody really played great. There was a clear lack of floor general and proper execution, which should be cleaned up as this team continues to play together.

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On Sunday, the Lakers will face a Heat team that’s coming off a thrilling 88-87 victory against the San Antonio Spurs. Their 37th overall pick this year, Ryan Conwell, scored 21 points in his debut and had some help from the likes of Jahmir Young and Trevor Keels. The Lakers will have their hands full again in this one.

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Publish date : 2026-07-05 14:20:00

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