Miami Heat vs Los Angeles Lakers Betting Pick & Prediction 1/3/24
Don’t miss out on the NBA showdown between the Heat and Lakers. The game is starting at 10:00 ET on ESPN, and it’s hosted by the Lakers at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, CA. Get ready to place your bets! This non-conference matchup has an over/under of 226 points, and the Lakers are favored to win at home vs. the Heat.
MIAMI HEAT VS LOS ANGELES LAKERS BETTING PICK
The Pick: Miami Heat +6.5
This game will be played at Crypto.com Arena at 10:00 ET on Wednesday, January 3rd.
WHY BET THE MIAMI HEAT:
- We have this one finishing with a projected score of 119-115 in favor of the Heat.
- Our projections have Tyler Herro finishing with Tyler Herro points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists.
- From the field, we have the Heat finishing with a field goal percentage of 46.6% and knocking down 14 threes.
Will the Heat Make it Happen in Los Angeles?
The Miami Heat will take on the Lakers as the 6.5-point underdogs. Before this one gets underway, Miami is 19-14 and has dropped two straight games.
When playing on the road, the Heat have an average scoring margin of +1.6 points per game compared to +.3 at home. Their road record for the season is 10-8, which is 9th among Eastern Conference teams.
In the East, the Heat are in 4th place, but lead the Southeast Division. Against other teams in the conference, Miami has gone 15-10 and 4-4 in non-conference games.
So far, Miami has a straight-up record of 19-14 and has gone 15-17 ATS. Their two-game ATS losing streak is a result of their 10-7 road ATS record for the season.
The over/under record for the Heat’s games is 16-17, and the under has hit in three straight games. On average, their games have finished with 225 points per contest this season.
In their last game, the Heat’s offense finished with 104 points vs. the Clippers. On 11/34 three-point shooting, the Heat shot 42.2% from the field. One positive for the Heat offense this season has been their ability to get to the line. They are currently 7th in free-throw attempts per game. Overall, the Heat have a field goal percentage of 47%.
At present, the Heat’s defense is ranked 9th, allowing 112.0 points per game. When it comes to forced turnovers, the Heat are forcing 12.5 per game, which is 10th in the league. They also come into the game sitting 30th in blocked shots at 3.3 per game.
Can Los Angeles Pull Out the Win as Home Favorites?
The Los Angeles Lakers will host the Heat as 6.5-point favorites. If they are able to cover, they will also move back to .500, as they are currently 17-17.
In the Western Conference, the Lakers are in 10th place and sit 4th in the Pacific Division. Against other teams in the West, Los Angeles has gone 13-11 compared to 4-6 in non-conference games.
When playing at home, the Lakers have put together a solid 11-4 record, both straight up and ATS. On average, they are outscoring teams by +8.2 points per contest at home.
So far, the Lakers have been the favorite in 20 of their 34 games and have a scoring margin of +5.4 points per game in those games. Their overall ATS record as the favorite is 9-11.
This season, the over/under record in Los Angeles’ games with lower OU lines than today’s line of 226 is 4-7, and their games have averaged 229 points per contest. The Lakers have an over/under record of 18-16.
In their most recent game, the Lakers put up 109 points on the Pelicans. Overall, they shot 47.6% from the field and hit 10 threes. On the season, the Lakers have a field goal percentage of 48%, which is 7th in the league. When it comes to three-pointers, they are 23rd in percentage and 28th in made threes.
So far, the Lakers’ defense is ranked 16th in the league at 114.7 points per contest. In terms of two point field goal attempts, the Lakers defense has allowed a shooting percentage of 52.9% while allowing 37.8% from downtown.