L.A. Lakers and Miami Heat: 2 Teams Headed in Opposite Directions?

The Miami Heat are reeling, and while a win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday night may restore some confidence, it will take more than a single victory to stop the bleeding.

The Heat were looking at their current home stand as a means to establish themselves as the East's most dominant team, but instead a season-high five-game losing streak has them looking up to the Boston Celtics and Chicago Bulls in the conference.

It gets worse.

Miami is a combined 0-6 against the Celtics and Bulls, and although the Heat did split the season series with Orlando, the Magic are gaining momentum and are now only two games behind Miami in their division.

In a recent interview after Miami's latest loss to Portland, forward LeBron James said the Heat can use the Lakers game to turn their season around or continue their losing ways, but it may not be as simple as that.

There are numerous theories as to why Miami has only managed to win one game against the NBA's top six teams. The most common threads seem to center on an inability to execute on the offensive end late in games and defensive lapses when it matters the most.

Of the two explanations, the defensive theory may be more correct because James and Dwyane Wade have proven that they are more than capable of carrying the Heat offensively.

However, it's not as easy to explain the Heat's inability to defend during certain stretches, although most fingers have been pointed at the team's interior players and the point guard position.

The recent signing of Mike Bibby was supposed to help the Heat with offensive execution late in games but it has only highlighted the need for a competent defender at the position.

Bibby has not had time to be fully initiated into the Heat's system, but when he has been on the court, he has been exposed defensively, and his outside shooting has not emerged as a weapon.

In the interior, Erick Dampier has been solid defensively, but Chris Bosh has lost individual matchups against Tim Duncan, Carlos Boozer and, more recently, LaMarcus Aldridge. Furthermore, his offense has been nonexistent around the basket.

Bosh recently voiced his frustrations, and his play on the court seems to reinforce the idea that he has struggled to find his identity playing alongside Wade and James.

There have been no such problems for the Lakers, as the team is 8-0 since the All-Star break. While a win over the Heat would be a nice way to atone for their Christmas Day thrashing, it means little in the big picture.

The big picture for the Lakers means a fourth straight trip to the NBA Finals, and after impressive road wins over San Antonio and Atlanta, the team is zeroing in on that goal.

It's no coincidence that the Lakers' streak has paralleled a return to health for center Andrew Bynum. His 16-point, 16-rebound effort against the Hawks only adds to his 12 rebound per game average during the Lakers' streak.

Bynum's inside play has allowed Pau Gasol to roam the perimeter more freely, and the result has been the most dominant high-low post combination in the league.

Add a focused and motivated Kobe Bryant to the mix, and you have a recipe for another strong push to the NBA Finals.

Los Angeles displayed that focus and passion in a road rout over the Spurs, and although San Antonio may enter the playoffs as the West's No. 1 seed, it's hard to say the Lakers are not the favorites after that game.

Tonight, the David Stern and NBA-created rivalry between Bryant's Lakers and James' Heat resumes. However, beyond bragging rights, a victory will do little to determine what will happen once the playoffs begin in a few weeks.