Heat vs Lakers Picks and Prediction: Bet Miami (+5½) to Cover Spread January 15

The Los Angeles Lakers and Miami Heat are two teams navigating their own sets of chaos. The Lakers are trying to shake off a three-game losing streak that’s been uglier than a Russell Westbrook pull-up jumper while the Heat are closing out a six-game West Coast tour with the subtle tension of Jimmy Butler’s trade drama hanging over their heads.

The Lakers are 5.5-point favorites at BetUS sportsbook, with the total set at 216 points, but if their last few games are any indicator, trusting them to cover the spread might be a recipe for heartbreak.

Let’s explore this matchup with NBA predictions on the spread and a prop that makes sense for Miami’s sharpshooting lineup.

Heat vs Lakers Game Information

• Game: Heat (20-18) vs Lakers (20-17)
• Location: crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, CA
• Day/Time: Wednesday, Jan 15, 10:00 p.m. ET
• Heat vs Clippers Live Stream: NBA League Pass

Heat vs Lakers 2 Bets Bets

1. Spread Pick: Heat +5.5

The NBA news hasn’t been great for this Heat team, with key cogs in Jimmy Butler (read: angry face emoji with emo hair) and Bam Adebayo (back injury) likely out, but that hasn’t stopped them from playing tough.

Miami is 3-2 on its current road trip, and Tyler Herro is hotter than Indian street food, dropping 32 points in back-to-back games. This scrappy Heat squad knows how to keep games close even without their brightest stars. The Lakers, on the other hand, are in a free fall.

Sure, they’re at home, but even Crypto.com Arena can’t paper over the team’s defensive struggles. Per Heat vs Lakers stats, Los Angeles has given up nearly 40% from deep over its three-game losing streak, which isn’t great news against a Miami team that’s been bombing threes with wild abandon, knocking down 17 and 19 in its last two outings.

Anthony Davis has been a lone bright spot, averaging over 30 points in two of his last three games, but even his Herculean efforts haven’t been enough to lift this squad. The Lakers are just 7-6 against the spread as home favorites, and their average margin of victory in those games is a mere +2.5 points.

The Heat’s defensive backbone has been their calling card, ranking ninth in defensive rating. They’ve held opponents under 110 points in four straight games until the Clippers eked out 109 on Monday.

Combine that with Miami’s history of winning five of the last six head-to-head matchups, including a 41-point thrashing in December, and it’s tough to lay points against the NBA spread with the erratic Lakers.

Pick: Heat (+5½)

2. Terry Rozier Over 3.5 Assists

Yes, I know, Terry Rozier hasn’t exactly been a beacon of offensive brilliance since landing in Miami. He’s averaging a pedestrian 12.0 points on an unsightly 40.1% shooting, but Rozier’s scoring woes are not why we’re here. We’re banking on his ability to dish the rock.

Terry Rozier shot chart

What stands out? pic.twitter.com/tqm519hksq

— Heat Clips 🎬 (@Demar305) January 14, 2025

With Butler out and Adebayo questionable, Rozier has taken on a more prominent playmaking role. Miami’s offense thrives on ball movement, ranking in the top 10 in assist-to-field-goal ratio, per NBA betting trends. Over their current road trip, Rozier has averaged 4.4 assists. That’s the kind of trend you like to see when hunting for an over-in-a-modest assist prop.

The Lakers’ defense has been a mess during this losing rough patch, highlighted by the Spurs racking up 30 assists in their last outing. If the Heat shooters get hot, Rozier will have plenty of opportunities to pad his assist stats and eclipse the NBA player prop odds on Wednesday night.

More NBA Picks Today January 15

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Question of the Day

Odds and information are accurate at the time of writing.Please check with official sources for the latest updates before placing any bets.