Predicting The Miami Heat’s Closing Stanza Of January Games
Predicting The Miami Heat’s Closing Stanza Of January Games
Their closing batch of games starts with a home matchup against the volatile Los Angeles Lakers.
January 23rd – Los Angeles Lakers
The Lakers are a sloppy team that needs LeBron James heroics to beat bad teams. They are top five in turnovers per game and sit in the league’s bottom half in offensive and defensive rating.
But none of this is new information or all that surprising if you watch basketball night-to-night.
Now, this weird Lakers team that lacks reliable depth is on a long East Coast road trip. You should anticipate more of a slobber knocker in this game instead of the scoring fest we saw in the last meeting.
Score Prediction – 97-108 Heat win
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January 26th – New York Knicks
As of January 23rd, the Knicks have lost the last three outings, including losses to the New Orleans Pelicans and Minnesota Timberwolves. One of the season’s surprises is New York’s dedication to the long ball, averaging 36.4 3’s each game.
Despite that change in offensive identity, the Knicks rank 27th in points per game. Part of the problem is a stagnate offense.
New York is second to last in assists per game. That, combined with Julius Randle‘s regression from an explosive 2020-2021 campaign, should make this a home win.
It won’t be easy, but it shouldn’t be too tough for the Heat to overcome.
Score Prediction – 98-114 Heat Win