Luka Doncic and the Los Angeles Lakers host Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks for a Thursday night showdown. It’s time to continue our NBA odds series with a Bucks-Lakers prediction and pick.
The Bucks are 38-30 on the season, placing them fifth in the Eastern Conference. They are just a half-game behind the Indiana Pacers for fourth which is crucial for home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs. The Bucks must find a way to get back on track as they are 5-5 in their last 10 games, allowing the Detroit Pistons to gain ground as just a half-game behind the Bucks in the East.
The Lakers faced the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday night. LA is currently 43-25 on the season and winners of seven of their last 11. They are in fourth place in the West and have a chance to jump the Nuggets in the standings with a win on Wednesday night. This game against the Bucks will be the second of a back-to-back.
Here are the Bucks-Lakers NBA odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NBA Odds: Bucks-Lakers Odds
Milwaukee Bucks: -3 (-110)
Moneyline: -142
Los Angeles Lakers: +3 (-110)
Moneyline: +120
Over: 227 (-110)
Under: 227 (-110)
How To Watch Bucks vs. Lakers
Time: 10:30 ET/7:30 PT
TV: Spectrum SportsNet+
*Watch NBA games LIVE with fuboTV (Get Access | Save $30)*
Why the Bucks Could Cover the Spread/Win
Milwaukee is coming off a miserable loss to the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday night, 104-93. It’s games like that, that make you wonder what the hell is going on. A team of that caliber should not be scoring only 93 points, especially when they average 114.5 per game. In fact, head coach Doc Rivers met with his two stars.
Just two weeks ago, the Bucks hosted the Lakers and dominated with a 126-106 win. Luka Doncic scored 45 points but it was not enough. That is good news for Milwaukee. LeBron James is out, so Luka will try and take on the scoring load. As long as the rest of the team is not scoring efficiently, then the Bucks have a good chance to sweep the Lakers in the season series.
Giannis is second in the NBA in scoring. He will likely be an MVP candidate once again this season unless they nod Jayson Tatum. Either way, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander seems to have it locked up. Giannis is still putting up insane numbers by averaging 30.2 points, 12.0 rebounds, 6.0 assists, 1.3 blocks, 0.8 steals, and all while shooting 59.9% from the floor.
Kyle Kuzma has averaged 13.7 points per game since being traded from the Washington Wizards. He has started 18 of the 19 games. The Bucks need him to have a huge night against his former squad, whom he won a championship with. He only scored five points in the win over LA last time out.
Why the Lakers Could Cover the Spread/Win
Luka and Austin Reaves scored 73 combined points in the loss to the Bucks. As good as they are, they need others to help. Dalton Knecht scored 10 points but nobody else scored more than six. Dorian Finney-Smith, Gabe Vincent, and Jarred Vanderbilt need to play bigger roles this time out. They combined for only 12 points.
Luka was probable for the game against the Nuggets on Wednesday night. He played but it’s unclear if he will play against the Bucks. He will be a game-time decision as the Lakers are still being cautious about his ankle. When available, he’s a full-go, however, the pain can linger and he won’t be able to play in every game. If Luka does not play, the Lakers should lose this game. Rui Hachimura was out against the Nuggets but could play against the Bucks.
Final Bucks-Lakers Prediction & Pick
The Lakers looked very good against the Nuggets in their win on Wed. However, I’m taking the Bucks to cover on the road. They are the fresher team.
Final Bucks-Lakers Prediction & Pick: Bucks -3 (-110)
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