NBA Finals: Anthony Davis inspires LA Lakers rout of Miami Heat but LeBron James demands more

Davis registered 34 points and nine rebounds to team up with James and put the Lakers into an early lead in the best-of-seven final series

Anthony Davis top scored for the LA Lakers in their rout of the Miami Heat (AP)

The Los Angeles Lakers began their first NBA Finals series in a decade by thrashing the Miami Heat 116-98 in game one on Wednesday.

LeBron James - who went into the night with a personal record of 1-8 in opening matches of Finals series - finished one assist short of a triple-double as the Lakers humbled the Heat in the NBA bubble in Florida.

James - who is targeting his fourth NBA Championship up against the franchise with which he won his first two - had 25 points, 13 rebounds and nine assists, while All-Star team-mate Anthony Davis had 34 points and nine rebounds.

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope scored 13 points, with Danny Green contributing 11 for the Lakers, while Jimmy Butler led the way for Miami with 23 points, Kendrick Nunn had 18 and Tyler Herro 14.

The Heat - surprise winners in the Eastern Conference after beginning the play-offs as the fifth seed - made a blistering start to lead 23-10 but the Lakers soon took charge and had a three-point advantage at the end of the first quarter.

Lakers - who finished the regular season top of the Western Conference as they target a 17th NBA title and first since 2010 - blasted away from Miami with a 34-20 second quarter to lead 65-48 at half-time.

Another strong period, won 28-19, built a 26-point lead heading into the last, when the Lakers eased up and were outscored 31-23.

James made it clear his team could not afford to be so sloppy in the fourth quarter in future games.

In a video posted on the Lakers Twitter account, James said: "We ain't satisfied. I don't like the way we played.

"I liked the way we played in the second quarter (and) third quarter. But the way we ended, that's unacceptable."

LeBron James (right) believes the Lakers are capable of more in game two (AP)

In his post-match press conference on nba.com, James added: "We've got so much more work to do. The job is not done, we're not satisfied with winning one game. It's that simple."

The leading scorer in the Lakers' win, Davis tied for the third-highest Laker debut in the Finals, adding heft to a formidable Los Angeles offense.

"Obviously (I) want to come out and play well and you want to come out and win. I've always put pressure on myself," Davis told reporters. "Your adrenaline is going early because you're so excited just to be here and get ready to go out there and play."

Davis came to the Lakers in the most recent off-season after a public rift with the New Orleans Pelicans, who had drafted him first overall in 2012, joining forces with 16-time All-Star LeBron James, whose camp Davis attended when he was a teenager.

While Davis' performance undoubtedly impressed many, 35-year-old James, who is gunning for a fourth NBA title this year, said it's simply what he's come to expect from his teammate.

"He's been preparing for this moment all season. I'm happy to be on the same floor with him and in the same uniform," said James. "He was, once again, a force in every facet of the game, offensively and defensively."

The Lakers face the Heat in Game 2 of the NBA Finals on Friday.

PA and Reuters