Best Sports Betting Picks Today: College Basketball, NBA Predictions for January 15th

The Los Angeles Lakers faded in the fourth quarter of their return to the court on Monday. And who can really blame them after the emotional toll associated with the devastating wildfires that have ravaged the area.

You can expect the Lakers to have a better chance at playing the full 48 minutes on Wednesday when they host the Miami Heat. Being back in the routine of games, practice and film sessions will certainly help.

The college basketball scene has some good matchups on Wednesday, with the best being No. 9 Kansas at No. 2 Iowa State. No, your eyes don’t need to be checked. The Cyclones are really the No. 2 team (for the first time in school history) and not the Jayhawks.

Wait, Georgia is ranked, and it isn’t football season? OK, we also check out the No. 23 Bulldogs visiting No. 6 Tennessee.

MIAMI HEAT AT LOS ANGELES LAKERS

The Lakers had two games postponed by the fires and were tied with the San Antonio Spurs through three quarters before the Spurs took over. San Antonio outscored Los Angeles 37-13 over the final 12 minutes to record a 126-102 victory and spoil the Lakers’ return to the court.

LeBron James took only 11 shots, and look for that output to double against the Heat. Anthony Davis excelled with 30 points and 13 rebounds and seemed refreshed from having a few days to rest his ailing left foot.

This is the final contest of Jimmy Butler’s seven-game suspension for detrimental conduct, and the Heat are 3-2 as they end a six-game road trip. Tyler Herro has scored 32 points in back-to-back games to raise his average to 24 points per game. Herro is ready for the top dog role should Miami find a taker for the disgruntled Butler.

Defensive guru Bam Adebayo missed Monday’s 109-98 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers due to a back injury sustained Saturday against the Portland Trail Blazers. The host Heat blasted the Lakers 134-93 on Dec. 4 but expect a different result in the rematch. 

Lakers -4.5 spread, -110 (DraftKings)

KANSAS JAYHAWKS AT IOWA STATE CYCLONES

Iowa State has won 11 straight games since losing by two points to then-No. 4 Auburn on Nov. 25 in the first round of the Maui Invitational. The last four victories have come in Big 12 play, and the Cyclones survived a scare with an 85-84 road win against Texas Tech on Saturday.

Curtis Jones paces the Cyclones with a 17.3 scoring average, and Keshon Gilbert chips in with 16.1 per outing. Iowa State has eight players averaging 15-plus minutes per game, so keeping out of foul trouble will be key against the Jayhawks.

Kansas coach Bill Self doesn’t typically find his team in the underdog role, but a 12-3 mark that includes a home loss against West Virginia makes the line fair. However, the Jayhawks bounced back well from that defeat with a 51-point road win over UCF and have won three straight games.

Hunter Dickinson was the lone Kansas player to score in double digits—he had 14 points and 12 rebounds—in last Saturday’s 54-40 road win over Cincinnati. The Jayhawks need consistency from Zeke Mayo. He has four 20-point outputs and three single-digit efforts over the last seven games.

Iowa State -6, -110 (DraftKings) 

GEORGIA BULLDOGS AT TENNESSEE VOLUNTEERS

The Bulldogs are ranked for the first time in 14 years, so this is unusual terrain. And it could evaporate quickly with the Volunteers and No. 1 Auburn being this week’s two opponents.

Perhaps that’s why coach Mike White is downplaying the stellar 14-2 start. Losses could pile up quickly with all the top-rate teams in the SEC. Still, Asa Newell (15.4 scoring average) should be able to keep Georgia close in Knoxville.

Tennessee won its first 14 games before getting obliterated 73-43 at then-No. 8 Florida on Jan. 7. The Volunteers bounced back with a 74-70 road win at Texas and are always tough to beat at home.

Tennessee leading scorer, Chaz Lanier (19.0), is just 6-of-27 shooting over the last two games. Regardless, Zakai Zeigler (11.9 points, 7.6 assists) will make sure the Vols win, but that spread feels a few points too high.

Georgia +11, -110 (DraftKings)