Just when we thought the Lakers season couldn’t get any worse, it did. Already on their way to the fewest wins in a season, the Lakers suffered a 123-75 loss in Utah on Monday, matching the largest defeat in club history. But at least we have nine more games of Kobe Bryant.
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SCHEDULING
The Heat will play six of their remaining nine games on the road and that stretch begins Wednesday at the Lakers in the first of a three-game trip. Miami’s next two games will be similar to its last one as they face L.A. and Sacramento, teams in the same position as the Brooklyn Nets, who the Heat defeated 110-99 on Monday night. The Heat can ill afford to stumble against teams with nothing to play for as they continue to joust with Atlanta for the Southeast Division title and a top four seed in the Eastern Conference. Miami took care of business in its previous two games with cover wins over the Orlando Magic prior to defeating the Nets.
Playing their third game in four nights, the Lakers are hoping this one goes better than the first two. The Lakers dropped a 101-88 decision to the Wizards on Sunday before getting pounded 123-75 in Utah on Monday, their fourth straight loss and eighth in nine games. The season has been over for the Lakes since November and clearly they’re tossing in the towel while looking ahead to their protected top three pick.
INJURIES
The Heat played Monday without point guard Goran Dragic, who sat out with flu-like symptoms. The team is hopeful Dragic is well enough to travel for the three-game road trip. Josh Richardson is the only other point guard on the Heat roster.
Nick Young missed Monday’s game in Utah due to an illness and is listed as day-to-day. Young has fallen out of coach Byron Scott’s rotation lately, so his absence hasn’t impacted the Lakers’ minutes distribution.
KEY MATCHUP
Dwyane Wade has played more games this year than he did in either of the previous two, and as the Heat push for the No. 3 playoff seed in the East, he feels great going into the most important part of the schedule. With Dragic sick and out for the first time since Jan. 26, the Heat found a way to fight through and pick up a win over the Nets on Monday. Wade had a lot to do with it. He scored 30 points, dished out nine assists and quarterbacked the Heat’s offense through most of the game. Wade was all over the court, prompting coach Erik Spoelstra to say, “It really does appear he’s getting stronger as the season is going on.” Wade hit 14 of 19 shots in 31 minutes, finishing just two points shy of matching a Heat season-high for scoring. The Lakers are weak defensively and just allowed Utah’s Rodney Hood to score 30 points – in the first half – on Monday night.
ANALYSIS AND ODDS PREDICTION
It may take a lot longer for the Lakers to overcome this trainwreck of a season. In a year of many lows, Los Angeles hit a new one Monday with its 48-point loss to Utah. Many thought the Lakers would show some improvement this season over their 21-win disaster from last, but the team has regressed. Blame it on Bryant and his farewell tour that cost valuable time for the young players to develop. Blame it on Byron Scott and his old-school way of coaching. The problem just might be something no one talks about – the players. D’Angelo Russell looks like he should be a sophomore in college, Julius Randle looks like he missed an entire season with an injury and everybody else should be competing for spots on a D-League roster. The Heat will be focused as the battle for playoff seeding continues, and this is one that won’t slip away.
Miami 112, Los Angeles 100
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BookMaker's live betting platform means you always have access to odds and lines to every sporting event. Click here and start wagering today! The game between the Miami Heat and Los Angeles Lakers is slated for Wednesday, March 30, 2016, at 10:30 p.m. ET at Staples Center. You can watch the game live on NBA TV.
