Lakers Betting Odds: Can LA Survive A Heat Wave Without LeBron James?

LA hopes to fare better today than it did last Wednesday.

Following a successful revenge game Monday against the Charlotte Hornets, your Los Angeles Lakers will try their luck against the Miami Heat tonight at Crypto.com Arena. They may will be missing a few soldiers, including their three top scorers, when the contest tips off at 7 p.m. PT, and if so you can view the probable carnage (sorry Lakers) on ESPN and Spectrum SportsNet.

That doesn't mean that Los Angeles fans can't have some fun (in states where such fun is legally permitted, of course). Let's take a look at some interesting odds, props and lines ahead of tonight, courtesy of The Action Network.

The Game Spread

The 20-18 Heat, winners of four of their last five contests, are expected to defeat the ailing 16-21 Lakers tonight, with a projected over/under of a four-point victory. Given that the Lakers have so many question marks among their top scorers, and that the Heat are a fairly competent defensive club that has been clicking a bit more on offense lately, look for Miami to cover.

Thomas Bryant's Points + Rebounds

In the nine games he's started since Anthony Davis went down with a stress injury in his right foot December 16th, Bryant has averaged 14.9 points, 10.1 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 0.6 steals a night. Can 6'10" big man better his projected total of 21.5 in combined points and boards tonight against LA? For the Lakers to have a fighting chance, he better.

The Two Teams' Total Combined Points

In the most recent Heat-Lakers matchup Wednesday, the two clubs combined to score 220 points. The estimated over/under for total points tonight is listed at 225. Lakers fans who are feeling optimistic about their team's chances should probably take the over, but I'm skeptical of LA's chances with so many potential absences.