The Miami Heat (20-18) visit the Los Angeles Lakers (16-21) on Wednesday night. Action tips off at 10:10 ET. Below we continue our NBA odds series with a Heat-Lakers prediction and pick.

Miami has won four of their last five games to bump them to seventh in the Eastern Conference. The Heat covered 39% of their games while 50% of their games have gone over the projected point total. Los Angeles has won two in a row but still sits in 13th place in the Western Conference. The Lakers covered 41% of their games while  60% of their games have gone over. This will be the second and final meeting between the two teams. The Heat took the first matchup 112-98 in Miami last week.

Here are the Heat-Lakers NBA odds, courtesy of FanDuel

NBA Odds: Heat-Lakers Odds

Miami Heat: -8.5 (-110)

Los Angeles Lakers: -8.5 (-110)

Over: 226 (-110)

Under: 226 (-110)

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Why The Heat Could Cover The Spread

Miami has finally begun to look like the Eastern Conference heavyweight we've come to know. After a slow start to the season, the Heat have won four of their last five and are flying up the Eastern Conference standings. They have a great chance to continue their recent success and cover the spread tonight thanks to their blistering defense. The Heat allow just 109.4 PPG (third) and force 15.9 turnovers per game (third). That should bode well for them tonight as they race a Lakers team that turns the ball over at an above-average rate and is missing their best two offensive players.

Miami will have a number of options to turn to on offense as they take on LA's 27th-ranked defense. Despite the Heat averaging the fewest points per game in the league, they have three players averaging more than 20 PPG. Bam Adebayo (21.5 PPG), Tyler Herro (21.5 PPG), and Jimmy Butler (21.3 PPG) have all been phenomenal this season. While Jimmy Butler picks his spots as he gets older, Bam and Herro have both proven they are more than capable of carrying the Heat when they eventually move on from Butler. Bam has been the catalyst on both sides of the ball, leading the team in rebounding (9.9 RPG) and averaging nearly two STOCKS (steals plus blocks) per game. He'll likely be in for a big night against a thin Lakers frontcourt that allows the fifth-most rebounds per game.

Offensively, however, Herro is the guy to watch tonight. Herro has been red-hot in recent games, scoring over 23 points in each of his last three games. The sharpshooter is shooting 40% from three this season and will likely be hunting his shots playing in LA. He scored 27 points and drained five threes in his last road game against the Lakers – setting him up for another big game tonight.

Why The Lakers Could Cover The Spread

LA has been brutalized by injuries this season and will now be without star LeBron James due to an illness. That being said, LA has a number of talented players who will be given an opportunity to step up with a massive amount of usage up for grabs. We just saw a sub-.500 team perform well without their best offensive player when the SGA-less Thunder dismantled the Celtics on Tuesday. LA will look to find similar success and cover a hefty spread as home underdogs. While the Lakers don't have a lockdown defense, they should be able to contain Miami's last-ranked offense and keep things close.

Without AD and LeBron, the Lakers will likely turn to former MVP Russell Westbrook to carry the load tonight., Russ has embraced a role off the bench this season and is playing the best he ever has as a Laker. Tonight, at least, LA will likely need him to channel the Westbrook of old if they want to cover. For the season, Russ averages 14.3 PPG, 6.2 RPG, and 7.6 APG. While he's shooting just 40%, Russ has provided a number of standout performances this season. He's notched three triple-doubles this season but will likely be hunting his fourth with LeBron sidelined. Westbrook is +700 to record a triple-double tonight – something worth keeping in mind while making a Heat-Lakers prediction.

Final Heat-Lakers Prediction & Pick

Los Angeles has been hanging on for dear life without Davis in the lineup and will now be without LeBron James. Westbrook and company could surprise me, but I see an improved Heat team taking care of the Lakers with ease.

Final Heat-Lakers Prediction & Pick: Miami Heat -8.5 (-110)

How To Watch Heat vs. Lakers

TV: ESPN, Bally Sun, Spectrum SN

Stream: ESPN App

Time: 10:00 p.m. ET/ 7:00 p.m. PT