Heat vs. Lakers Game 1 Odds, TV Schedule, Live Stream for 2020 NBA Finals

The last time the Miami Heat won the NBA title, LeBron James led them to back-to-back championships in 2012 and 2013. It they want to win it again this year, they'll need to find a way to beat James.

Despite being the No. 5 seed in the Eastern Conference, Miami is back in the NBA Finals for the first time since James left following the 2013-14 season. After leading the Cleveland Cavaliers to a title in 2016, James is now looking to guide the Los Angeles Lakers to their first championship since their last NBA Finals appearance in 2010.

James made the NBA Finals every year from 2011 to 2018 during his time with the Heat and Cavs. That streak came to an end last year when the Lakers missed the playoffs. However, they've been much improved this season (after adding Anthony Davis) and have rolled through the postseason as the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference.

With Game 1 of the NBA Finals between the Heat and Lakers set to take place Wednesday at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Disney World, here's everything you need to know as the series gets underway.

NBA Finals Game 1 Information

Date: Wednesday, Sept. 30

Time: 9 p.m. ET

TV: ABC

Live Stream: ESPN3

Odds (via FanDuel): Los Angeles -5

NBA Title Odds

Los Angeles -370 (bet $370 to win $100)

Miami +250 (bet $100 to win $250)

Odds obtained via FanDuel

Game 1 Preview

The Lakers have the star power with James and Davis. The Heat have a solid core featuring forwards Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo and veteran point guard Goran Dragic. No two teams have played better during these unorthodox NBA playoffs in the bubble at Disney World.

In the first three rounds, the Lakers won each of their series in five games. They lost Game 1 to the Portland Trail Blazers and Houston Rockets in the first and second rounds, respectively, but they finished off both series with four straight wins.

Los Angeles lost Game 3 in the Western Conference Finals against the Denver Nuggets, but it prevented Denver from staging its third straight 3-1 comeback by ending the series with a win in Saturday's Game 5.

As you might expect from James, he isn't satisfied with just an appearance in the NBA Finals. 

"For me personally, the job is not done," James said, according to the Associated Press (h/t ESPN). "For us as a franchise, I'm extremely proud to be a part of this franchise getting back to where it belongs and that's playing for championships and competing for championships, representing the Western Conference this year in the championships. So, this is what I came here for."

The Heat opened the playoffs on a roll, sweeping the Indiana Pacers in four games in the first round, then beating the No. 1-seeded Milwaukee Bucks and two-time reigning NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo in five games in the second round to emerge as legitimate title contenders.

In the Eastern Conference Finals, the Heat took six games to beat the Boston Celtics. However, after Boston cut its deficit to 3-2 in Game 5, Miami immediately responded with a win in Sunday's Game 6. But the Heat now have bigger goals.

"Four more," Adebayo said, according to the Associated Press (h/t ESPN). "That's what matters."

The Heat have six players averaging double-digit points this postseason, but they may have trouble stopping the Lakers' star duo of James (26.7 points, 10.3 rebounds and 8.9 assists per game this postseason) and Davis (28.8 points and 9.3 rebounds per game).

Miami hasn't trailed in a series yet this postseason, so if it falls behind with a Game 1 loss, it may not be as well equipped to handle the adversity.