The Los Angeles Lakers (43-25) will host the Milwaukee Bucks (38-30) in the NBA tonight. Tipoff is set for 10:30 p.m. ET from Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California. The game will broadcast live on NBA TV.
The Bucks are 7.5-point road favorites over the Lakers on the spread (Bucks -7.5), with the over/under set at 219.5 total points. Milwaukee is a -250 favorite to win outright, while Los Angeles is +205 to pull off the upset.
Let's get to my Bucks vs. Lakers predictions and NBA picks for Thursday, March 20.
Bucks vs Lakers Prediction, Picks
With the Lakers on the second leg of a back-to-back, Milwaukee is currently as high as a 6-point favorite. This line move likely insinuates that Los Angeles will opt to rest star point guard Luka Doncic, with LeBron James already sidelined.
While I believe the market correction is too aggressive, I'm not in a rush to take the points with the Lakers at home. A moneyline play on Milwaukee probably makes the most sense, especially when included in a same game parlay.
My Pick: Bucks Moneyline (-250)
Bucks vs Lakers Odds, Spread, Total
| Bucks Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-7.5 -110 | 219.5 -110o / -110u | -250 |
| Lakers Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+7.5 -110 | 219.5 -110o / -110u | +205 |
- Bucks vs. Lakers spread: Bucks -7.5
- Bucks vs. Lakers over/under: 219.5 total points
- Bucks vs. Lakers moneyline: Bucks -250, Lakers +205
- Bucks vs. Lakers best bet: Bucks ML (-250)
My Lakers vs. Bucks best bet is on Milwaukee moneyline, with the best line currently available at Fanatics. But as always, make sure to shop for the best line using our live NBA odds page.
Milwaukee Bucks vs Los Angeles Lakers NBA Preview
Wednesday's victory over the Nuggets extended the Lakers' winning streak to three games, and nine straight at home. This season, Los Angeles is 6-4 in games that James doesn't play and 7-3 against the spread. However, with Luka Doncic joining the Lakers mid-campaign ahead of the trade deadline, there haven't been many instances where at least one of the two superstars wasn't on the court.
The only example we have occurred less than a week ago when Los Angeles lost 131-126 on the road to Denver as a 10.5-point underdog. While I would concede that one game isn't much of a sample size, one can't help but reflect on the depth of this Lakers roster. Nonetheless, defeating the Bucks on short rest while potentially shorthanded could be a bridge too far for Los Angeles to undertake.
The Bucks won't be intimidated about playing on the road at Crypto.com Arena. After all, they've won three of the last four meetings in this spot. Milwaukee is 11-7 straight up this season in games with a rest advantage. Moreover, Bucks power forward Giannis Antetokounmpo could be in line for a big game against a Lakers unit that lacks size in the frontcourt. The two-time MVP is averaging 27.9 points, 11.0 rebounds and 5.4 assists in 22 games against Los Angeles.
Milwaukee is 6-1 straight up in their last seven meetings as a road favorite with Antetokounmpo on the court. Those numbers should point to a Bucks win, even against a Lakers team that will likely put forth a decent effort.
Playing with smaller rotations should allow Los Angeles to keep this game competitive for four quarters. If Doncic and James miss the game, Austin Reaves becomes a likely candidate to lead the Lakers' offense. Reaves is averaging 19.6 points this season, yet his scoring prop for tonight is listed at 25.5.
Interestingly, in games where James doesn't play, Reaves averages 26.5 points with a median of 27. Although Reaves only scored 22 points in last night's win, he wasn't needed as much, with Doncic leading the team with 31 points, scoring 21 in the first quarter. However, Reaves should play a more significant role if our suspicions are correct that Doncic will sit out.
The last time both James and Doncic didn't play, Reaves erupted for 37 points. Therefore, Reaves is a decent option to go over his points prop. If combined with a Bucks victory, we'll get a +230 return on our parlay odds.
Bucks vs Lakers Betting Prediction
- Bucks ML (-250)
Bucks vs Lakers Same Game Parlay
- Bucks Moneyline
- Austin Reaves Over 25.5 Points
Parlay Payout: +230
Lakers vs. Bucks Betting Trends
