The Miami Heat play host to the Los Angeles Lakers Thursday at Kaseya Center
Game time: 8 p.m., Kaseya Center
TV: FanDuel Sports Network
Betting line: Heat -3.5
VITALS:
The Heat and Lakers meet for the second and final regular season matchup. Earlier this season, LA recorded a home win on November 2. Last season, the teams split the series, 1-1, with each squad winning on their home floor. The HEAT are 34-41 all-time versus the Lakers during the regular season, including 23-14 in home games and 11-27 in road games. This is yet another return game for Lakers superstar LeBron James, who led the Heat to back-to-back titles in 2012 and 2013. The Heat made four straight Finals appearances during his tenure.
PROJECTED STARTERS
HEAT
F Pelle Larsson
F Norman Powell
C Kel'el Ware
G Tyler Herro
G Davion Mitchell
LAKERS
F Marcus Smart
F LeBron James
C DeAndre Ayton
G Austin Reaves
G Luka Doncic
INJURY REPORT
HEAT
Terry Rozier: Out (Not with team)
Vladislay Goldin: Out (G League)
Jaime Jaquez Jr: Out (Hip)
Trevor Keels: Out (G League)
Andrew Wiggins: Out (Toe)
Jahmire Young: Out (G League)
LAKERS
Luka Doncic: Questionable (hip)
LeBron James: Questionable (Foot)
Maxi Kleber: Out (Back)
Austin Reaves: Questionable (Forearm)
QUOTABLE
Ex-NBA star Lou Williams on the Heat staying in the Play-In Tournament element: “You get tricked into it because they made the finals from a play in spot so it’s kinda confusing when it comes to the Miami Heat. If you’re Pat Riley and [Erik Spoelstra], you don’t want this to be your name and reputation. In years past we always said come playoff time the Heat have another gear they can get to but reality is the last two years they didn’t get out the first round. Something has to change at some point if you’re the Miami Heat”
Lakers center DeAndre Ayton on adjusting after being a No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft: "I just started looking in the mirror and said 'Yo bro,… you're not that guy. You don't need to be on this team doing that at all. This team, you came here to be the effort guy."
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Shandel Richardson is the publisher of HeatRoundtable. He can be reached at shandelrich@gmail.com