HDTV sets around the world will be tuned into ABC on Saturday night when LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers square off against Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat. This will be the first skirmish between these teams since the Lake Show took the Heat down in six games in the NBA Finals. Since starting this extended seven-game Western Conference road swing out with a dub in Houston, the Heat have gone on to lose against the Jazz, Clippers and Warriors. They’ll also have less tread on the tires with it the third game played over a four day stretch, while the Lakers will have only laced ‘em up twice; the last coming at home against the Brooklyn Nets. LA has however proven to be a bit more susceptible at home than on the road and will be forced to go at Miami without the services of Anthony Davis. Still, you can expect LBJ and the boys to be laying a handful of points come Saturday night.
This East/West battle is set to go down live on Saturday, February 20, 2021. Tip-off is set for 8:30 p.m. ET from the Staples Center in Los Angeles, CA. The game will be broadcast live on ABC. We'll have NBA odds available at BookMaker.eu for this and every game on Saturday’s NBA slate.
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Odds Analysis
Though Eric Spoelstra has been forced to make do without a number of his integral parts over the course of the season, the lone constant has remained his defense. It’s allowed the seventh fewest points per game in the league, and limited all opposition to a paltry 44.9 percent success rate (No. 5). That unfortunately hasn’t been the case of late with the unit failing the team in each of its last three losses to the Jazz, Clippers and Warriors. Utah racked up 94 points from the second quarter on, while LA logged 33 in the fourth and final quarter to pull out the 125-118 win and cover as 6.5-point favorites. After holding Golden State to just 46 points in the first half, Miami conceded 59 in the second half before getting outscored 15-7 in the extra session. The results just haven’t been there at the defensive end of the court over the course of this west coast swing. If that trend continues against LA, the defending champs will get the best of them once again.
Miami Heat
Though it shot 45 percent as a team and knocked down 13 3-point shots, Miami was still unable to get out of the Chase Center with a win and put an end to its losing streak on Wednesday night. A whopping seven players would go on to log double-digits highlighted by Butler’s triple-double with 13 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists. Even so, it was once again the poor play of the defense that reared its ugly head in allowing Steph Curry and company to shoot 46 percent from the field and can an eye-opening 18 long range shots to secure the improbable 120-112 comeback win in overtime. The loss dropped Miami to 4-10 SU and 5-9 ATS when playing away from the comforts of the American Airlines Arena.
Los Angeles Lakers
After dropping an ugly 122-105 decision to the Nuggets in Denver in a game “The Brow” was lost for the next two weeks at minimum, the Lakers resilience still allowed them to go into the Twin Cities and come away with the 112-104 win and cover as 6-point road favorites. Trailing Minnesota 81-77 with just under two minutes remaining in the third quarter, LBJ would lead the team on a 26-8 run that allowed it to take complete control of the game in getting out to a 14-point lead. Though the Timberwolves made things interesting in the end, Los Angeles still managed to hold on for its wagering supporters. The win moved LA to a league-best 13-3 SU and 9-7 ATS away from the Staples Center. Back home, the reigning champs check in 9-4 SU but a poor 5-8 ATS.
Miami vs. Los Angeles Prediction
This game is going to mean a heck of a lot more to the Heat than it is to the Lakers. On top of spitting the bit through the first four games of this extended trip, Miami will take to the Staples Center hardwood vengeful after getting bounced in the finals last season. With LA likely going all-out to get the best of the Nets’ Big Three in the second leg of TNT’s Thursday night doubleheader, I’m wondering how much they’ll have left in the tank for this bout with the Heat. Even with Miami racking up more mileage recently, I can’t help but think a different team takes to the court for this game than the one that’s struggled mightily against some of the other Western Conference heavyweights. Though James will predictably go HAM, I don’t foresee it being enough to prevent a determined bunch of Heat from coming out with the outright win. Take the points if you must, but you won’t need them – hit the Heat moneyline instead!
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