Free NBA Picks and Odds: Los Angeles Lakers at Miami Heat on TNT Expert Predictions – NBA Betting Preview 3/10/11: All-star Kobe Bryant will lead the smoking hot Los Angeles Lakers on the road to the American Airlines Arena to take on MVP LeBron James and the struggling Miami Heat on Thursday night at 7:00 PM ET on TNT Sports. The Heat have lost 5 in a row and have struggled all year against the NBA elite teams and it seems a long time ago that the Lakers were in the same situation when the Heat went to LA and beat them over the holidays. Miami enters the game 43-21 – 1st in the Southeast – and 3rd in the Eastern Conference while the Lakers are the hottest team in the NBA winning 8 consecutive games and come in at 46-19 – 1st in the Pacific – and 3rd in the Western Conference.
Everyone has an opinion. “From what I’ve heard, this team feels like they’re being looked at to lose, or they’ve been hoped at to lose,” Lakers coach Phil Jackson said before the Lakers practiced for their Thursday game in Miami. “I know locally that can’t stand true, but nationally, if that’s the case, it’s a burden to carry. And then those games that are dramatic become bigger than they really should be.” Even Tiger Woods in town for a golf tournament commented. “They are trying to jell and obviously they are adding pieces,” Woods said. “I mean, as soon as they become more cohesive, they add (Mike) Bibby, so it’s going to take a little time. They have 18, 19 games left in the season, somewhere around there. They have plenty of time to turn it around and get rolling for the playoffs.” The odds makers at Bodog have the Los Angeles Lakers a -2 1/2 point favorite on the road against the Miami Heat.
The Heat is coming off a loss 105-96 at home to the Portland Trail Blazers moving them to 28-35-1 ATS for the season. Dwayne Wade led the Heat with 38 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists while LeBron was 2 assists shy from a triple double with 31 points, 11 rebounds and 8 assists. Chris Bosh could only manage 7 points and 4 rebounds in 40 minutes. Vegas odds makers have the Miami Heat +140 to win the 2010-2011 NBA Championship.
The Lakers winning streak continued with a 101-87 victory over the Atlanta Hawks on the road to move to 20-15 ATS on the road this season. Kobe scored 26 points with 6 rebounds and 4 assists while Andrew Bynum chipped in 16 points and 16 rebounds. LA Lakers are 2-4 ATS in their last 6 games when playing on the road against Miami and the total has gone UNDER in 5 of the LA Lakers last 6 games when playing on the road against Miami. Vegas odds makers have the over/under for the total score at 188 points combined of the Miami Heat and Los Angeles Lakers.
FREE PICK: Miami Heat +2.5
Bet it at BoDog Sportsbook
MATCHUP: L.A. Lakers (46-19) at Miami (43-21)
GAME TIME: 7:05 PM EST
TELEVISION: TNT
Recent Lakers and Heat NBA Betting Odds Trends:
LOS ANGELES LAKERS
LA Lakers are 5-0 SU in their last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of the LA Lakers last 5 games
LA Lakers are 5-0 SU in their last 5 games on the road
LA Lakers are 0-5 ATS in their last 5 games when playing Miami
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of the LA Lakers last 12 games when playing Miami
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of the LA Lakers last 6 games when playing on the road against Miami
LA Lakers are 1-5 SU in their last 6 games when playing on the road against Miami
LA Lakers are 2-4 ATS in their last 6 games when playing on the road against Miami
MIAMI HEAT
Miami is 0-5 ATS in its last 5 games
Miami is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games
Miami is 16-6 SU in its last 22 games at home
Miami is 0-5 ATS in its last 5 games at home
Miami is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Miami’s last 12 games when playing LA Lakers
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Miami’s last 6 games when playing at home against LA Lakers
Miami is 5-1 SU in their last 6 games when playing at home against LA Lakers
Opening Vegas Odds from Las Vegas
Favorite: LA Lakers -2.5
Total: O/U 188
* These are the Morning Lines at Ceasars Palace in Las Vegas
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