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The Milwaukee Bucks will take on the Los Angeles Lakers in an inter-conference battle on Tuesday night. It's time to continue our NBA odds series and make a Bucks-Lakers prediction and pick.
Neither of these teams have quite lived up to the preseason expectations that were set for them. The Bucks, fresh off a championship, have earned a 34-21 record, good for second place in the Eastern Conference. The Lakers have been far worse, posting a 26-28 record on the year. This matchup is absolutely riddled with star players, so let's not waste any time and get straight into the pick.
Here are the Bucks-Lakers NBA odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NBA Odds: Bucks-Lakers Odds
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Milwaukee Bucks: -3.5 (-108)
Los Angeles Lakers: +3.5 (-112)
Over: 234 (-110)
Under: 234 (-110)
Why The Bucks Could Cover The Spread
Milwaukee has the statistical edge in almost every single category in this matchup. Their defensive edge is particularly obvious. The Bucks allow a mediocre 108 points per game, but they only allow their opponents to shoot 44% from the field. The Lakers don't shoot particularly well and they've often struggled to get into an offensive rhythm. It's hard to see Los Angeles having a productive day on the offensive end in this matchup.
The Lakers will likely enter this game shorthanded. Superstars LeBron James and Anthony Davis are both questionable for this game. Forward Carmelo Anthony has already been ruled out of this contest, and center Dwight Howard is also questionable. The Los Angeles backups will be forced to play plenty of minutes against one of the best teams in the NBA.
Why The Lakers Could Cover The Spread
The Lakers are a much better team when they play on their home court. Los Angeles has gone 17-12 at home this season. The Bucks are 15-12 on the road, but they're only 14-13 against the spread when they play on the road. There's a chance that the Lakers sneak in a cover on their home floor here.
While it's true that the Lakers haven't been the best offensive team in the NBA, they've quietly been picking up their production on that end of the floor. Los Angeles has scored 110 points or more in four of their last five contests, including in games against the Los Angeles Clippers and the New York Knicks. Those are two of the better defensive teams in the NBA, so this matchup with Milwaukee shouldn't be too much tougher.
Final Bucks-Lakers Prediction & Pick
It's a miracle that this line is so small. Milwaukee should be favored by much more here, as they're the better team in almost every aspect. Add in all the injuries that the Lakers are dealing with and this becomes a slam-dunk pick. Don't be surprised if the Bucks put on a show in a blowout victory over Los Angeles.
Final Bucks-Lakers Pick: Milwaukee Bucks: -3.5 (-108)
