Miami Heat at Los Angeles Lakers 2010 NBA Preview, Odds, and Predictions: Heat or Three peat starts today when MVP LeBron James leads the Miami Heat to the Staples Center to take on Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers on a Christmas Day matchup that NBA fans have been looking forward too at 5:00 PM ET on ABC Sports. The Heat enter the game winning one and at 22-9 good for 1st in the Southeast while the Lakers lost their last outing but are still 21-8 good for 1st in the Pacific. Many fans and experts alike picked this to be a NBA Finals matchup but as both teams have struggled at times it doesn’t seem to be a certainty, although still a distinct possibility. “I don’t think it’s a measuring stick for us,” James said. “It’s just another game.”
The Heat who has not played well against the top teams losing two to both Boston and Dallas are downplaying the importance. “I was in Cleveland and we beat the two-time champs twice in one season, and it didn’t get me anything,” James said. “It’s one game, guys. The media guys hype it up, but when that time is over and done with, we’ve got to move on to the next one.” But LA feels differently. “The personalities that are going to be matching up in this game, I don’t know if it can get any bigger,” said Fisher, the Lakers point guard who entertained free-agent interest from Miami last summer. “Although there will be other games in this regular season that can mean more, from a personality standpoint and a star power point, I don’t know if it can get any bigger.” The odds makers at Bodog have the Los Angeles Lakers a -3 point favorite at home against the Miami Heat.
The Lakers lost their last game 98-79 at home against the Milwaukee Bucks as they must have been looking forward to today’s game moving them to 14-15 ATS for the season. Shooting guard Kobe Bryant led the scoring with 21 points but the big men ruled for the Lakers as Pau Gasol chipped in 15 points and 11 boards and Lamar Odom dropped in 12 points 10 boards and 6 dimes. Vegas odds makers have the Los Angeles Lakers +200 to win the 2010-2011 NBA Championship.
The Heat won the first leg of this road trip without Dwayne Wade 95-83 at the Phoenix Suns moving them to 14-16-1 ATS for the season. LeBron led the way with 36 points 6 rebounds and 4 assists while Chris Bosh scored 23 points and pulled down 11 boards. “While we weren’t always fluid on offense, we had some very good defensive stops.” — Coach Erik Spoelstra, on the Heat surviving without Dwyane Wade against the Suns. Vegas odds makers have the over/under for the total score at 191 points combined of the Los Angeles Lakers and Miami Heat.
I predict a Laker win at home.
Note: Rich Fritz is a Blog Writer on NSAwins.com and not a pro handicapper. For expert NFL Football Predictions against the Vegas spreads please visit the NSAwins.com homepage for top predictions today from the National Sports Advisors.