They are going to have to wait a little longer.
With 21.8 seconds to go, the Lakers led 108-107, but Jimmy Butler sank two free throws to give Miami Heat the lead back at 109-108 with 16.8 seconds left.
The Lakers' Danny Green then missed a wide open three-pointer. Markieff Morris grabbed the offensive board but turned the ball over trying to make a pass.
"We got a hell of a look to win the game, to win the series. It didn't go down," LeBron James, who had 40 points on 15-of-21 shooting, to go with 13 rebounds, seven assists and three steals, told ESPN's Rachel Nichols.
Miami's thrilling 111-108 win in Game 5 kept them alive in the NBA Finals - the Lakers lead the best-of-seven series three games to two.
Butler led the Heat with a triple double, scoring 35 points, grabbing 12 rebounds and dishing 11 assists. The Heat used just seven players on Friday night. One of those players, Andre Iguodala, didn't score.
"1-2-3 Mamba!"
For Game 5, the Lakers wore the Kobe Bryant-inspired "Black Mamba" uniforms.
Bryant's widow Vanessa showed her support for the uniform update, posting "Mamba and Mambacita jerseys approved for game 5" and "Let's go @lakers" on her Instagram account.
Bryant adopted the "Black Mamba" identity midway through his career, a nod to the killer instinct and ferocious nature of the extremely venomous snake from sub-Saharan Africa.
The Lakers ave since adopted Bryant's "Mamba mentality," and dedicated the remainder of the 2019-20 season to the fallen icon following his death.
When the squad breaks the huddle they do so with the phrase "1-2-3 Mamba!" and James, along with fellow star Anthony Davis, have added ink in honor of Bryant, as each now sports Kobe-themed tatoos.
Game 6 of the NBA Finals is on Sunday at 7:30 p.m. ET and if the Heat win that Game 7 will be Tuesday at 9 p.m. ET.
