Miami Heat vs Los Angeles Lakers Betting Picks & Predictions

Game outlook

The 2023-24 NBA season kicks off on Wednesday, January 3 with a cross-conference battle between the Miami Heat and Los Angeles Lakers at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California with the tip-off at 10:00 PM ET. This will be the second of the two game series with the Heat taking the first match by a close score of 108-107 as 1.5-point home favorites. The Lakers have opened as the betting favorite at -5.5 and the line currently stands at -6.

Betting Odds

Moneyline: Heat +190 | Lakers -225

Spread: Heat +6 (-110) | Lakers -6 (-110)

Total: Over/Under 228.5 (-110)

Based on the moneyline, the implied probability that Los Angeles will win straight-up is 69%.

Miami Heat

Miami had lost four straight games before the 117-109 loss at Utah. Jimmy Butler recently suffered a foot injury making him questionable for Wednesday's game against the Lakers. Despite the recent losses and Butler's injury, Bam Adebayo is still the Heat's leader, averaging 22 points and 10.4 rebounds per game. Tyler Herro is also influential with an average of 23.4 points per game.

Los Angeles Lakers Analysis

The Los Angeles Lakers have a record of 3-0, including 15-19 against the spread. They rank #6 in field goal percentage and #20 for free throw percentage, and rank #22 for three-pointers. On offense, they average 43.89 rebounds, 27.31 assists, and 13.54 turnovers per game. On the defensive side, they rank #9 for field goal percentage, #12 for free throw percentage, and #18 for three-pointers. They also average 44.34 rebounds, 27.03 assists, and 13.03 turnovers. The Lakers are currently tenth in the Western Conference.