Article courtesy OddsShark (@OddsShark)
The Los Angeles Lakers fell to 0-4 against the spread over their last four games and to 1-2 straight up over their last three games with their 111-108 loss to the Miami Heat in Game 5 of the NBA Finals. The Lakers will be looking for better results on Sunday night when they take on the Heat again in Game 6.
Los Angeles is a five-point favorite on the NBA odds in Orlando at sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com. This is the first time the Lakers have been favored by less than 7.5 points since Game 1 when they closed as a 4.5-point favorite.
Lakers vs. Heat | OddsShark Matchup Report
Lakers fans received a serious injury scare in Game 5 when Anthony Davis came up limping with a re-aggravated heel injury. Fortunately, the injury wasn’t bad enough to force Davis out of action as he went on to finish the game with 28 points and 12 rebounds in 42 minutes played.
But despite Davis’ strong performance and LeBron James recording 40 points, 13 rebounds and seven assists, the Lakers eventually came up just shy of clinching the NBA Championship. Davis is probable to play in Game 6 as the Lakers will get two more cracks at closing the series out holding a 3-2 series lead.
When going off as a favorite of six points or less this postseason, the Lakers are a perfect 6-0 SU and 5-0-1 ATS per the OddsShark NBA Database.
Jimmy Butler had another sensational game in Game 5 to lead his Heat to an upset win. Butler finished the night with 35 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists, bringing his averages in this series up to 8.6 rebounds per game, 10.2 assists per game and 29 points per game.
And on a night in which Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo didn’t have their best stuff offensively, Duncan Robinson had his best scoring night in the postseason with 26 points. With Goran Dragic still listed as doubtful for Game 6 it will be up to this same group to go out and try to force a Game 7 on Sunday.
Sunday night’s total is set at 214.5 points at online betting sites. The OVER is 6-3 in Miami’s last nine games.
The Lakers are 4-0 SU and 2-1-1 ATS when coming off a loss this postseason. Both of these teams have proven to be extremely resilient this postseason, but only one can be crowned as NBA champions. Will the Lakers’ championship drought end on Sunday, or will the pesky Heat force a Game 7? We’ll soon find out.
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