2023 Heat vs Lakers Betting Odds: Can James Torch His Old Team?

Lakers, Underdogs at Home Versus Surging Heat

How far can LeBron James, now at 38 years old, carry his Los Angeles Lakers? The team has won three of its last four on the strength of his 36.3 points average. However, that one loss is a big one as it came against the Miami Heat, who they now host. The home team is the underdog per the Heat vs Lakers betting odds. Miami enters Los Angeles having won four of its last five games.

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Miami Finding Form Despite Star’s Injury

In spite of their star swingman’s injury, the Miami Heat are getting it done. Miami has covered four of its last five games and is looking more like a viable team on the NBA picks and parlays. As for Jimmy Butler, he has played sporadically this season. In fact, the six-time All-Star has not played in consecutive games since December 17.

“The more rest that I have and able to get that recovery that I need is always going to be better,” Butler said following the Heat’s win over the Lakers last Wednesday. “So, hell, whenever I’m not playing, I’m doing something to try to get it right.”

Butler torched the Lakers for 27 points on 61.1 percent shooting. He also swiped the ball six teams and added four assists while committing zero turnovers or fouls. Since then, Butler has scored 26 points on 7-of-21 shooting in his last two games. He’s still efficient and not hurting Miami with costly mistakes.

“We just got to maintain this thing and take care of it. I mean, it’s part of the game, but I want to be right, I want to be a hundred, so I can go out there and do what I’m supposed to do.”

The 33-year-old is not listed on the NBA injury report for this rematch against the Lakers. The Heat are 13-11 when he is playing. He’s typically had strong performances versus the Lakers with a career average of 21.5 points on 49.2 percent shooting. Even in his limited form, Butler’s presence can throw a wrench in the Lakers’ gears hence why the Heat vs Lakers betting odds tout Miami as the chalk.

Lakers Will Keep Riding James

“I just want to ride him,” Darvin Ham said of James following the Lakers’ win over the Charlotte Hornets on Monday night as reported by Dave McMenamin of ESPN. “And he allows you to do that because he takes such great care of himself. So, it’s a great luxury to have.”

The four-time MVP may be 38 but he just scored a total of 90 points in his last two games, both of their victories.  Lebron James also added 21 boards and 15 assists. Los Angeles remains well out of the playoff picture. They sit two games behind the Jazz for the final play-in spot and are five games under .500.

But as a for NBA bets online, the Lakers are frisky. Los Angeles is 4-4 against the spread (ATS) as a home underdog. And at home, the Lakers have won six of its last nine contests. The ceiling of this team remains low thanks to its roster. Since Anthony Davis got hurt, the Lakers have gone 4-5. They are just 5-7 without him.

Rematching Miami will be another tall task for James. He faces his old team, which is now above .500. The Lakers are just 6-16 against teams above .500. James is 0-3 against Butler and the Heat since the 2020 NBA Finals. If James and Butler “cancel” each other out, the Heat are better equipped to beat out the Davis-less Lakers.

The Heat vs Lakers betting odds take around 3.5 points away from Miami. The Heat are just 3-4-1 ATS as a road favorite this season. For the Lakers, they will have to rise up and upset Miami because their NBA schedule gets much more difficult from here on.

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