There will be no LeBron James-Dwyane Wade reunion when the Lakers travel to South Beach to take on the Heat on Sunday evening. That's because Wade is still out on paternity leave following the birth of his baby daughter.
LeBron will still be ready to play though, and he'll lead his 8-7 Lakers against the struggling 6-9 Heat.
How to watch Lakers at Heat
- Date: Sunday, Nov. 18
- Time: 6 p.m. ET
- Location: American Airlines Arena -- Miami, Florida
- Streaming: fuboTV (free trial - NBA League Pass add-on available)
- Live stats: GameTracker
- Odds: Heat -2
Odds and analysis
Check Sportsline's NBA pick sheet for all your daily odds.
Storylines
Lakers: The Lakers appeared to be turning things around, after a tough start to the season that made LeBron "almost crack." They had won four in a row, and six of their last seven games heading into the weekend, but then they ran into the mighty... Orlando Magic? Nikola Vucevic and Co. crushed the Lakers on Saturday night, stopping all of the positive momentum. Now, LeBron and the Lakers will see if they can get things back on track, but they'll have to do it on a Sunday in Miami. And we all know how those Sunday games for visiting teams can go in South Beach.
Heat: It's been a disappointing start to this campaign for the Heat. After winning 44 games and finishing sixth in the East last season, they're just 6-9 now after losing four of their last five games. Injuries have been a factor to be sure -- James Johnson, for example, hasn't played all season, though he may return Sunday -- but it's still been frustrating. Especially when you consider their schedule, which hasn't exactly been super difficult. While the Lakers aren't exactly a powerhouse, taking down LeBron in a homecoming game for him could provide them a nice boost.
Game prediction, pick
Yes, playing in Miami on a Sunday can prove difficult for visiting teams sometimes, and the Lakers will be on a back-to-back, but I'm still riding with LeBron and Co. to cover. They should be eager to bounce back after a disappointing loss to the Magic, and LeBron figures to want to make a statement in his latest return to Miami.
