The Los Angeles Lakers travel to Florida to play the Miami Heat at American Airlines Arena on Sunday.

The Lakers (8-7) suffered a 130-117 loss in their most recent game on Saturday, as the Orlando Magic dominated them throughout the second half. That did snap an impressive stretch for Los Angeles though, as they won eight of their previous 11 games. Where they've really found their success is on the offensive end, with the Lakers sitting fourth in scoring. They are struggling defensively though, as they currently sit 27th in points allowed. That's something you expect from a team like this, as their fourth-ranked pace plays a huge factor in those statistics. LeBron James hasn't missed a beat in his Los Angeles transition, as he currently leads this team in scoring, rebounding and assists. That's become the standard for the best player in the league and he recently surpassed Wilt Chamberlain as the fifth-highest scorer in NBA history.

The Heat (6-9) come into this matchup losing four of their last five games, as they've also lost seven of 10 in total. That's a shocking stretch from a consistent team like this and it's a wonder why they're in such a deep slump. The biggest issue has been on the defensive end, with Miami sitting 16th in points allowed. This is a team who should be in the top-five in total defense and they simply won't win games until they improve on that end of the floor. They also need more from Goran Dragic, as he's regressed big time after an all-star season in 2017. Hassan Whiteside has been spectacular though, as he's currently averaging 13.8 points, 14.9 rebounds and 3.1 blocks per game. Those are Defensive Player of the Year numbers and it makes it even more shocking that this defense is struggling so badly. One has to believe they will improve on that lackluster defense as the season progresses, considering they have some of the best defensive players in the league.

These teams have split each of their two-game season series over the last two years. Prior to that, Miami won 11 of their previous 13 games over Los Angeles dating back to 2010