Tonight we will get to see the second meeting of the season between the Miami Heat and the Los Angeles Lakers. The first was a scintillating encounter, with the Heat coming out on top 108-107. But now with the game going back out west, the Lakers will look to exact their revenge. The hosts are just 10th in the Western Conference and will be desperate to win so that they can start ascending up the standings.
You can check out our NBA previews. But for now let’s jump into my Heat vs Lakers SGP.
Jaime Jaquez Jr. to score 20+ points (+190)
Hailing from the Los Angeles area, Jaime Jaquez Jr. will be able to start in his hometown once more with Jimmy Butler ruled out of tonight's contest. He dropped 15 points last time out against the Los Angeles Clippers but should be able to improve on that, as he will not have to contend with elite perimeter defenders like Kawhi Leonard or Paul George. The Heat rookie has been very consistent as a starter too, averaging 15.4 points per game in those games on 48.2% shooting. He also makes 85.2% of his free-throw attempts. Considering that over the last 5 games the Lakers are 20th in opponent free-throw attempts per game, it could be a great way for him to inflate his scoring.
The Lakers have been 5th in the league in pace over the last 10 games. This should help ensure there are no shortage of possessions and opportunities for either side. With them also ranking 16th in defensive rating, Jaquez Jr. and the rest of the Heat should have a good chance of converting these, too. The Lakers defensive efforts will be focusing on slowing down established stars in Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo. It should allow the rookie to come through as a third option and improve on his recent averages as a starter.