Miami vs LA Lakers Prediction: the Key Match for LeBron

The Lakers beat Miami in the finals two years ago, and a meeting with the Lakes is crucial. Currently, Los Angeles is weakened - will Jimmy Butler and the company take advantage of that?

The NBA Southeast Division is arguably the weakest in the league right now. Since its leader, Miami, is only ninth in the conference. A series of games against the West's outsiders allowed the Heat to climb, but then the team suffered two defeats. Erik Spoelstra's team lost to Chicago and Indiana at home before improving at home and beating Minnesota 113-110. What was surprising was that Miami coped without Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo. The game's main hero was Max Strus, who scored 19 points, while Tyler Herro didn't make a single three-pointer on eight attempts. Butler and Adebayo are still questionable, and Gabe Vincent and Udonis Haslem might be out. While Dewayne Dedmon and Omer Yurtseven are still injured, Orlando Robinson is getting plenty of time at the point guard position.

The Lakers are about to have a tough month. Anthony Davis is out with an injury, his return date is unclear, and they have to keep at least your chances of making the playoffs alive until the trade deadline. LeBron James is trying his best, but more than 30+ points from the King are needed to win. The Lakers lost to Phoenix, Sacramento State, Charlotte, and Dallas, though they had good chances against the Hornets and Mavericks. 

The bad streak came to an end in the game against Orlando. LeBron made 12 of 24 shots, and Russell Westbrook had a triple-double of 15 points, 13 rebounds, and 13 assists, so the Lakers won by 129-110. The role-players helped immensely that night, as Thomas Bryant and Troy Brown only missed three shots on 17. Patrick Beverley was suddenly one of the top scorers that night, while Austin Reaves and Lonnie Walker didn't perform at their peak.

Miami's defense could be better, and Jimmy Butler may only solve some problems. Herro needs to step up, as the Lakers' defense is weaker than Minnesota's. Los Angeles is in good shape; the Lakers have been minimally criticized for their offensive play in the last three games. If their long-distance shots improve as well, the visitors will have a chance to win. LeBron, for example, did not score on any of his seven attempts against Orlando. But that shouldn't be surprising, given that the Magic defense is among the best in the NBA at the arc. The Heat, however, is less reliable, especially without Gabe Vincent. 

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