Wednesday’s game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Miami Heat may seem like a marquee matchup, but the NBA standings tell a different story.
Both teams have struggled to find consistency early in the season, with the Lakers holding a 12-9 record and the Heat at 9-10. Currently, Los Angeles sits in eighth place in the Western Conference, while Miami is in seventh place in the Eastern Conference.
LeBron James leads the Lakers in assists per game (9.1) and ranks second in both scoring (22.0) and rebounding (8.0). As he approaches his 40th birthday on December 30, James is determined to play all 82 regular-season games, a feat he last accomplished in the 2017-18 season during his second stint with Cleveland.
Anthony Davis has been a standout for the Lakers, leading the team in scoring (27.8), rebounding (11.5), blocks (2.0), and steals (1.2). Austin Reaves contributes 16.7 points and 4.8 assists per game, while D’Angelo Russell adds 12.5 points and 4.9 assists.
Russell returned to the starting lineup and led the Lakers with 20 points in their 109-80 loss to Minnesota on Monday.
The Lakers’ top three-point shooters include Rui Hachimura (43.1 percent) and rookie first-round pick Dalton Knecht (41.0 percent).
Los Angeles has lost five of its last seven games, while Miami has dropped two straight and three of its last five. The Heat have not been more than two games below or one game above .500 this season.
Miami, with a 4-4 home record, may be without star forward Jimmy Butler, who missed Monday’s 109-89 loss to Boston due to a knee injury. Butler, who is questionable for Wednesday with right knee soreness, has missed five of the Heat’s 19 games this season. He ranks second on the team in scoring (18.9) and third in assists (4.8).
Tyler Herro leads Miami with 23.7 points per game and shares the team lead in assists with Bam Adebayo (4.9).
Adebayo leads the Heat in rebounding (9.8) but is averaging just 15.6 points per game as his scoring continues to decline. He averaged 19.3 points per game last season and 20.4 the year before.
The Lakers and Heat have a fascinating history. Los Angeles defeated Miami in the COVID-affected 2020 NBA Finals, and Heat president Pat Riley is a former Lakers player and coach.
Since LeBron James left in the summer of 2014 after leading the Heat to two championships in four years, Miami has not won an NBA title.
