Los Angeles Lakers forward Anthony Davis shoots between Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler, left, and guard Andre Iguodala during the second half in Game 5 of basketball's NBA Finals, Oct 9, 2020, in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. (PHOTO / AP)

WASHINGTON - Jimmy Butler delivered a sensational triple-double performance to help the Miami Heat defeat the Los Angeles Lakers 111-108 in Game 5 of the NBA finals on Friday, keeping their season alive for at least one more game.

Butler finished with 35 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists for the Heat, while Duncan Robinson added 26 points on 7-for-13 3-point shooting.

Butler finished with 35 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists for the Heat, while Duncan Robinson added 26 points on 7-for-13 3-point shooting

Lakers star LeBron James had 40 points, 13 rebounds and seven assists and Anthony Davis put up 28 points and 12 rebounds.

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The Heat led for most of the game, thanks to brilliant performances from Butler and Robinson, but the Lakers came roaring back in the fourth quarter to take the lead behind the outstanding play of James.

Lakers guard Danny Green missed a potential go-ahead 3-pointer, followed by a Markieff Morris turnover in the last minute, Heat guard Tyler Herro closed the game out for the Heat with a pair of free throws.

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"That's what my team asked of me. That's what they needed me to do," Butler said of his performance. "I think the team brought me here for that reason, to help us win games. And I have to continue to do that for two more games."

Game six will be played on Sunday. 

Game 5 was the first NBA game to return to the Chinese state television after one year following a rift that started when Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey tweeted support for anti-government protesters in Hong Kong.

Game 5 was the first NBA game to return to the Chinese state television 

On Friday, CCTV made an on-air announcement that the game would be broadcast. The network's website had a preview of the game, including a photo of James and Butler.

"In the Chinese National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival that just passed, the NBA expressed holiday blessings to Chinese fans," the China Media Group, essentially the operator of CCTV, said in a statement. "We have also noticed the goodwill continuously expressed by the NBA for some time. Especially since the beginning of this year, the NBA has made active efforts in supporting the Chinese people in fighting against the novel coronavirus epidemic."

CCTV quickly halted its relationship with the NBA after Morey's tweet, even though the post was quickly deleted.

NBA games have been available to Chinese fans on the streaming service Tencent, another of the league's broadcast partners. But the relationship between the league and China could be best categorized as frosty since the tweet, with only some slight hints of reconciliation.

NBA legend and Chinese Basketball Association President Yao Ming came to the US to attend the memorial service for commissioner emeritus David Stern in January, a move viewed by some as one that showed there was hope for the league and China to mend fences. More hope came in February, when the NBA sent more than US$1 million in medical supplies to China to assist coronavirus relief efforts there. The Chinese publicly thanked the NBA for that gesture.