Game 2 of the 2020 NBA Finals was tough to watch for Miami Heat fans and has a high re-watchability grade for the legion of Los Angeles Lakers supporters. It’s looking very one-sided so far, but will the Heat turn things around and cut their series deficit in half with a win in Game 3? Check out our preview of this game below.
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Betting Preview for the Los Angeles Lakers vs Miami Heat NBA Finals Game 3 on October 4, 2020
Where: Walt Disney World, Orlando
When: Sunday, October 4, 2020, 7:30 PM ET
Line: Los Angeles Lakers (-8.5) vs. Miami Heat (+8.5) – view all 2019-20 NBA lines
TV Broadcast: ABC, ESPN, TNT
Betting on the Los Angeles Lakers (-8.5)
Regular Season Record: 52-19
The Lakers have total control of the Finals based on their two wins to start the series. In Game 2, the Lakers smoked Miami once again with a 124-114 win last Friday. It was all Lakers from start to finish, as LeBron James and Anthony Davis took turns in blasting the undermanned Heat team. James paced the Lakers with a game-high 33 points to go with nine rebounds and nine assists, while Davis ate the Bam Adebayo-less Miami defense for 32 points on 15-of-20 shooting from the floor. Adebayo reportedly believes he can play in Game 3, but if there’s one thing we learned from the Lakers’ win in Game 1, it’s that Adebayo’s presence won’t do much to stop Davis and James from having a party. Another interesting thing to note about the Lakers is their outside shooting that has consistently produced in the series. The Lakers went 16-of-47 from deep in Game 2, and while that’s not efficient shooting, the team makes up for it by getting second-chance looks; the Lakers had 16 offensive rebounds to just six by Miami in Game 2.
The Lakers are 4-1-1 against the spread in their last six road games.
Betting on the Miami Heat (+8.5)
Regular Season Record: 44-29
The Heat won’t survive in this series without Bam Adebayo, and that was made extra clear in their Game 2 loss. However, Adebayo, as mentioned earlier, believed he’ll be in the lineup in Game 3. If he does get an active label, his neck strain injury could still hamper him. That’s why Meyers Leonard and Kelly Olynyk are likely to still serve bigger roles on Sunday. Leonard started in lieu of Adebayo and scored seven points, while Olynyk put up 24 points with three 3-pointers. Both Leonard and Olynyk can stretch the floor, so expect them to keep trying from long range after combining for four 3-pointers in Game 2. Speaking of which, Duncan Robinson needs to wear his shades and stop getting blinded by the bright lights of the Finals, as he’s still struggling to get in the groove. The sharpshooter is just 2-of-10 from behind the arc through two games in the series.
The Heat are 7-3 against the spread in their last 10 games as the home team.
Writer’s Prediction
The Lakers win, 116-105.
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