Miami Heat v Los Angeles Lakers: NBA finals predictions and free picks

Free basketball tips, best bets and analysis for the 2020 NBA finals between the LA Lakers and Miami Heat.

Where to watch

Game One is live on Sky Sports Main Event & Sky Sports Arena at 2am on Wednesday night.

Best bet

LA Lakers to win the series 4-1
1pt 14-5 Hills

Series preview

Those who debate the greatest basketball player of all time will have yet more to discuss after this year’s NBA Finals, as LeBron James leads the LA Lakers into battle against his former team, the Miami Heat.

After winning the Western Conference and improving throughout the playoffs, the Lakers are strong favourites to lift the trophy and, in the process, hand a fourth NBA title to King James, who won with Miami in 2012 and 2013 and with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016.

LeBron is often compared with the legendary Michael Jordan and as he’s set to turn 36 in December, he would need to claim victory with the Lakers this season to stand any chance of equalling MJ’s six NBA titles.

LA, seeking their first championship in ten years, enjoyed the best regular-season record in the league (52-19) and cruised past the Denver Nuggets 4-1 in the Conference finals, winning two of those five matches by ten points or more.

It’s not just LeBron though pulling the strings, with Anthony Davis – who finished sixth in the voting for this season’s MVP - averaging 26.1 points per game.

All in all, it looks like the Heat are facing a massive task. The Eastern Conference winners had a losing record of 39-43 last season and coach Erik Spoelstra has done a fantastic job to lead them to the finals with a 44-29 regular-season record.

Shooting guard Jimmy Butler and power forward Bam Adebayo have played key roles in helping them past the top-seeded Milwaukee Bucks and then the Boston Celtics in the playoffs.

But the finals look a step too far for the Heat, especially with the Lakers having won four in a row against their opponents, including a 110-113 victory the last time they met in December 2019.

Key stat

The LA Lakers have won 4-1 in all three rounds of the 2020 NBA playoffs.

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