The Miami Heat (19-14) travel to face off against the Los Angeles Lakers (17-17) on Wednesday, January 3rd. This game will be played at Crypto.com Arena. Both the Heat and Lakers will be looking to bounce back from losses in their previous games. Tip off is scheduled for 10:00 ET.

Heat vs Lakers

The Heat Look To Bounce Back From A Loss

In their most recent game, the Heat fell to the Clippers by a score of 121-104. The Heat picked up the win despite trailing going into halftime 59-58.

Coming into today, the Heat are 19-14 overall and are 1-2 in their last three games. In the Eastern Conference, the Heat are currently ranked 4th and are also 1st in the Southeast division.

Miami has an ATS record of 15-17 so far this season which includes their current two game losing streak vs. the spread. Miami has struggled to cover the spread in their last two road games and has an ATS record of 10-7 on the road, while it is 5-10 at home.

The Lakers Look To Bounce Back From A Loss

The Lakers were defeated by the Pelicans in the most recent game, concluding with a score of 129-109. the Lakers not only lost the game outright but also fell short of covering the spread as +5.5 point underdogs. The over/under line for this matchup was set at 232.5 points, and the teams managed to exceed that total.

Coming into their matchup with the Heat, the Lakers are 17-17 on the season and are hoping to end their two game skid. In the Western Conference, the Lakers are 10th overall and they are 4th in the Pacific Division.

Los Angeles comes in with an overall ATS record of 15-19 so far this season. Los Angeles has gone 9-11 against the spread this season when they are the favorites, and they are 6-8 when playing as underdogs.

Heat Offense Breakdown

Through 33 games games, Miami is averaging 113 points per game (22nd). Coming into today’s game, the Heat will be looking to improve their 3-point shooting numbers, as they are averaging just 12.8 made 3’s per game. If the Miami offense is going to improve, they must continue to do a good job avoiding turnovers. Currently, the unit is 10th in fewest turnovers per game.

Lakers Offense Breakdown

Los Angeles has recorded an average of 114.2 points per game (17th) throughout 34 games games. When looking at the Lakers pace of play, they tend to play an up-tempo style of basketball. So far, the team is in the upper half of the NBA in possessions per game, averaging 100.5. The team not only plays at an up-tempo pace but also combines this style with one of the NBA’s superior field goal percentages, standing at 48%.

Heat Team Defense

So far, the Heat’s defense is ranked 9th in the league at 112.0 points per contest. In the terms of takeaways, Heat are causing 12.5 turnovers per game, ranking 10th in the league. They also enter the matchup ranked 30th in rejections, averaging 3.3 blocked shots each game.

Lakers Team Defense

On defense, Lakers is currently around the league average in points allowed, giving up an average of 114.7 points per game. In the terms of takeaways, Lakers are causing 13.4 turnovers per game, ranking 21st in the league. They also enter the matchup ranked 11th in rejections, averaging 5.6 blocked shots each game.

Key Players For The Heat And Lakers

In today’s game, we anticipate Tyler Herro leading the scoring for the Heat, contributing 20 points while shooting 7/16 from the field. Throughout this season, his average stands at 23.4 points per game, along with 5.5 rebounds.

On the flip side, our predictions place Anthony Davis as the leading scorer for the Lakers. We expect him to conclude the game with a team-high 24 while also collecting 12 rebounds. This season, he has put together a field goal percentage of 55.1%, and he is contributing 25 points per game on average.

Heat vs Lakers Trends

• Across the Heat last ten road games, the team averaged 111 points per game while allowing 107. Their record vs the spread in these contests was 6-4, while going 6-4 straight-up.
• Los Angeles has a 1-4 record in their last five home games. In this stretch, they averaged 112 points per game while allowing 119. The team also performed well vs the spread at 3-2.
• Spanning across their last five games as the betting underdog, the Heat have gone 2-3 vs the spread. Their overall record in these games was 2-3.
• As the betting favorite, the Lakers have an ATS mark of just 5-5 in their last ten games. Los Angeles posted a straight up mark of 6-4 in these matchups.

 

Heat vs Lakers Prediction

 

Coming in as the underdogs at +6.5, we have the Heat as the way to go on the point spread. Not only do we have them covering, but our projections show they have a good one of winning this one straight-up, if you’re looking for a higher payout on the moneyline.

Regarding the over/under, the current line is set at 226, and our model predicts the Heat and Lakers to score a combined 234 points. We recommend betting on the over.

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All odds are courtesy of Action247 Sportsbook. Good luck!!

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* All odds are provided by Action247 Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.**All views expressed are my own. My picks are my own and are not a guarantee, bet at your own risk.Action247 does not warrant the accuracy of completeness of the information, text, graphics, links or other items contained within these post.