Lakers vs. Heat Prediction, Odds & Best Bet for January 4 (Back the Over in Paced-Up Spot for Miami)

Lakers vs. Heat Game Info

• Date: Wednesday, January 4, 2023
• Time: 10:00 PM ET
• Venue: Crypto.com Arena -- Los Angeles, California
• Coverage: ESPN, SportsNet LA, and BSSUN

The 2022-23 NBA season continues on Wednesday with 12 more games, including a battle between the Miami Heat and Los Angeles Lakers. The Heat rank seventh in the Eastern Conference with a 20-18 record, while the Lakers check in 13th in the Western Conference with a lackluster 16-21 record.

Miami enters as a victor in four of its last five games following its 110-100 win over the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday. Meanwhile, the Lakers have now won three of their last four games after taking down the Charlotte Hornets by a score of 121-115 on Monday. Which playoff hopeful will win tonight?

Lakers vs. Heat Odds & Spread

All NBA betting lines, odds and prop bets are from FanDuel Sportsbook.

Heat vs Lakers Betting Information

Favorite	Spread	Favorite Spread Odds	Underdog Spread Odds	Total	Over Total Odds	Under Total Odds	Favorite Moneyline	Underdog Moneyline
Heat	-3.5	-	-	224.5	-110	-110	-158	134

• All NBA betting lines, odds and prop bets are from FanDuel Sportsbook.
• Moneyline: LAL: (+180) | MIA: (-215)
• Spread: LAL: +5.5 (-110) | MIA: -5.5 (-110)
• Total: 229.5 -- Over: (-108) | Under: (-112)

The Heat enter this contest as notable road favorites on moneyline and spread per FanDuel Sportsbook's odds. This 10 p.m. ET clash also features an over/under of 229.5 points, which is about average compared to Wednesday's projected totals.

Lakers vs. Heat Betting Trends

• The Heat won 45 games against the spread last season, while failing to cover or pushing 37 times.
• The Lakers had an ATS record of 16-17 as underdogs of 3.5 points or greater last year.
• A total of 46 Heat games last season went over the point total.
• Out of 82 Lakers games last season, 47 went over the total.

Lakers vs. Heat Prediction & Pick

These teams met head-to-head in Miami on Dec. 28 and it was the Heat that emerged victorious by a score of 112-98. Jimmy Butler shined with 27 points as Miami only logged a 5 turnovers. The Lakers tallied 24 turnovers and that is what killed them. I expect a much different outcome this time around.

The Heat are 8-10 on the road this season and average 108.1 points per game away from FTX Arena (No. 28 in NBA). The Lakers are ranked among the top five teams in points in the paint (55.9) and fast break points per game (16.9). LA knows it has a clear advantage in a fast-paced, offensive contest.

The Lakers have won six of their last nine home games and I trust them to get the job done here.

Final Score Prediction: Lakers: 119 | Heat: 116

Lakers vs. Heat Best Bet

Backing the Lakers as a +5.5 point underdog is an intriguing option on Wednesday, but the point total has more value. The total has hit the over in six of the Lakers' last eight games overall as well as in seven of their last 10 games against an Eastern Conference opponent. They know how to score.

The total has cashed in 13 of Miami's last 18 games against a Pacific Division opponent, too. I talked about pace earlier and I'll talk about it again. The Lakers play at the second-fastest pace in the NBA and are the home team in this one. Look for them to turn this into a shootout at crypto.com Arena.

Bet: Over 229.5 Points (-108)

Larry Rupp is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Larry Rupp also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username phillyfan424. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel. 

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.