The powerful Milwaukee Bucks will entertain the suddenly resurgent Los Angeles Lakers Friday night at the Fiserv Forum, with a tip-off set for 7:30 p.m. ET. The contest will be aired on ESPN and ESPN+.
These teams only play twice on the regular season schedule, with the next meeting coming in February.
Stick around to see our Lakers vs Bucks prediction. Let’s take a closer look at this game by studying some NBA team stats and NBA odds and seeing how both teams have done lately on the NBA schedule.
Last Game Records
Bucks’ Last Game Record
Milwaukee (15-5) has been one of the Eastern Conference’s most consistent squads thus far. The Bucks began the campaign with nine consecutive wins and haven’t really slowed down since then.
They’ve won their last three outings, including home triumphs over Cleveland and Dallas and a road victory over New York.
Giannis Antetokounmpo bucketed 37 points, pulled down 13 boards, and dished out seven assists in that win.
Grayson Allen hit the tiebreaking trey with 30 seconds to go after Giannis fouled out as Milwaukee topped the Knicks, 109-103.
It was Allen’s only three-pointer of the game, following a performance in which he hit all seven of his tries from behind the arc in the first half of the recent win over the Mavericks.
For the Bucks, that clash began a stretch in which the team will hit the road 11 times in a 15-game period. Milwaukee will have to be a road warrior in order to stay where it’s at in the standings.
Lakers’ Last Game Record
As the season went, Los Angeles’ was quite the opposite. The Lakers dropped 10 of their initial 12 but have since gone 6-2.
They beat Portland, 128-109, at home on Wednesday. LeBron James posted 31 points, while Austin Reaves added a season-high 22.
The team needed the win to forget about a loss to Indiana in which it squandered a late 17-point lead.
Los Angeles was up by 18 early in the fourth frame against the Trail Blazers. Anthony Davis pinned up 14 points in that quarter and finished with 27 in total.
Milwaukee Bucks vs. Los Angeles Lakers Betting Analysis
Milwaukee Bucks
They’re dealing with some absences, but the lineup is still fairly daunting, as Giannis pours in an average of 31.3 points per game — good enough for the fourth-most in the NBA.
His 11.5 rebounds per contest also rank in the top 5 in NBA player stats. Jrue Holiday paces the team with 7.2 assists and 1.6 assists per game.
Los Angeles Lakers
Davis paces the Lakers with 26.3 points and 12.7 rebounds per game. Russell Westbrook has 7.2 assists an outing.
Updates
Before we make our Lakers vs Bucks prediction, it’s always a good idea to check who will be and won’t be on the floor, especially when making NBA picks.
Forward Serge Ibaka will be out for this one due to an illness, while forward Khris Middleton is probable with a wrist ailment.
Guard MarJon Beauchamp is out. As is guard Joe Ingles (knee), who probably won’t be back until sometime in January.
The Los Angeles Lakers injury report has a number of players listed as day-to-day. That group includes:
- Lonnie Walker IV (foot)
- Troy Brown Jr. (foot)
- Dennis Schroder (personal reasons)
- Davis (back)
- James (leg)
Forward Cole Swider won’t suit up for this one with a foot issue.
Bucks vs. Lakers Betting Preview
Milwaukee is the favorite in this one, as they’re marked down as -8.5 at -110, while the Lakers are the same to cover.
On the money line, the Milwaukee Bucks odds are -360, and Los Angeles a +290 underdog. The total is listed at 230.5 points, with the over -110 and the under the same.
Milwaukee Bucks vs. Los Angeles Lakers Betting Prediction
While the Bucks are considered a heavy favorite in this one, the Lakers have been playing well really early.
This will be one of those NBA matchups that are closer than the odds suggest. Take Los Angeles to cover the spread at home.
NBA Pick: Lakers +8.5 (-110)
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