Heat complete 20-point comeback; Thompson hits game-winner in OT thriller

The Miami Heat staged a dramatic 20-point comeback to defeat the Los Angeles Clippers 117–116 in overtime on Wednesday night at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California. Klay Thompson sealed the victory with a game-winning 3-pointer from the left corner with one second remaining in the extra period, after receiving an inbound pass from Giannis Antetokounmpo following a baseline screen from Bam Adebayo. Clippers guard Kobe Sanders missed a desperation shot at the buzzer.

Adebayo led the Heat with a season-high 35 points and 10 rebounds, while Antetokounmpo contributed 27 points, 14 rebounds and six assists. Thompson finished with 30 points on 8-of-17 shooting from 3-point range, marking his first game with eight made 3-pointers since December 2023 with the Golden State Warriors. The Heat trailed by as many as 20 points late in the second quarter and still faced a 10-point deficit with 4½ minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. Miami executed a 9-0 run in the closing minutes of regulation to force overtime, where the teams exchanged leads before Thompson's decisive shot. The victory improved Miami to 3–5 after losing their first four games of the season.

The Clippers' offense was led by Darius Garland with 26 points and seven assists, Rui Hachimura with 21 points, nine rebounds and seven assists, and Brook Lopez with 20 points and eight rebounds. The loss extended Los Angeles' losing streak to seven consecutive defeats since opening the season with a win on October 21 against Sacramento. The Clippers entered the game depleted by injuries, with Brandon Ingram (Achilles) and Bradley Beal (knee) unavailable, along with several other key players sidelined.

The finish featured a controversial foul call sequence in the final seconds of regulation. Miami successfully challenged a foul on Pelle Larsson, but officials determined that Adebayo committed a defensive foul during the play, awarding Hachimura two free throws. Hachimura missed the first free throw and made the second, sending the game to overtime. Heat coach Erik Spoelstra praised the team's defensive intensity in the second half and Thompson's conditioning, noting that the comeback showcased Miami's resilience despite the team still adjusting after acquiring Antetokounmpo via trade in July. Thompson, who signed with Miami in free agency this summer following a buyout agreement with the Dallas Mavericks, said the corner 3-pointer is his most comfortable shot on the perimeter.