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Sports Interaction Staff
Heat vs. Lakers Game 1 Prediction: NBA Finals Odds, Point Spread
The Lakers head into Wednesday’s Game 1 of the NBA final as five-point favourites over the Heat on the NBA odds, with an opening total of 217.5. Start time is set for 9 p.m. ET.
NBA Finals Point Spread and Betting Analysis
The Lakers have the season edge after picking up a 95-80 win at the Staples Center in November (Miami’s lowest scoring total of the season) and a 113-110 win a month later in Miami. It was the Lakers defense that sealed the November game, keeping Miami shooters to just 35 per cent from the field and 17.1 percent from beyond the arc. Anthony Davis was the difference maker in their last meeting as he went off for 33 points and 10 rebounds.
The season series proved these teams both have the potential to be stifling defensively, while also being dangerous scorers. While the under is 4-1 in their last five meetings, both teams come into Game 1 on scoring heaters. The over is 4-1 in the Lakers last five games overall and 4-0 in the Heat’s last four.
Miami Heat
Jimmy Butler has been the difference maker for the Heat offensively, averaging 20.7 points, 5.7 rebounds and 4.5 assists throughout the playoffs. On the defensive side of the ball, however, it comes down to Bam Adebayo, who will likely be charged with guarding Anthony Davis. In the two regular season games between these teams, Adebayo guarded Davis on 34.9 partial possessions, limiting the superstar to 15 points in those possessions.
Andre Iguodala could also be key in this series. The former Warriors star, playing in his sixth straight NBA final, is a calming veteran presence who is coming off a 15 point performance on 5-for-5 shooting in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference final. Rookie Tyler Herro is also living up to his name by averaging 19.2 points, 6.3 rebounds and 4.8 assists, and putting up a monster 37-point performance in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference final.
Los Angeles Lakers
LeBron James may be the face of this Lakers team and the league itself, but Anthony Davis will be the difference maker in this series. James averaged nearly a 27-point triple-double in the Western Conference final and clinched the series with 38 points, 16 rebounds and 10 assists in Game 5. But, what is scary if you’re a Miami fan is, Anthony Davis actually led the Lakers offense in the West final, averaging 31.2 points and shooting 54.2 percent from the field.
The Lakers also have solid secondary scoring and will likely rely on Danny Green (36.4 percent from 3-point range), Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (42.1 percent from 3-point range) and Kyle Kuzma (31.5 percent from 3-point range) to shoot from deep to exploit Miami’s zone defense and open things up for James and Davis inside.
MIA
LAL