The Milwaukee Bucks head to the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on Tuesday night to take on the Los Angeles Lakers in a battle of champions from the previous two seasons.
Milwaukee is 34-21 SU on the season and 15-12 SU on the road this year. They are the current second seed in the East and are just one game behind the Miami Heat in the team standings. The Bucks are 7-3 SU in their last 10 games played and head to this contest with three straight wins. Milwaukee blasted the LA Clippers 137-113 in their most recent outing.
The Lakers are 26-28 SU on the season and 17-12 SU at home this year. The Purple and Gold are in very big trouble right now as they are just 9th in the Western Conference team standings and 3.5 games off the 6th seed and outright playoff entry. The Lakers are just 4-6 in their last 10 games and they beat the New York Knicks in OT in their most recent game.
This is the second meeting between these two teams this season with the Lakers losing to the Bucks 109-102 last November 8th in a game where Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 47 points.
Giannis Antetokounmpo leads the Bucks with 28.9 points, 11.2 rebounds, and 5.9 assists per game this season. Khris Middleton is scoring 20.5 points per game in his last 10 games played while also grabbing 6 rebounds, dishing off 5.2 assists, and picking up 1.6 steals per game during that stretch. Milwaukee will be without George Hill (back), and Brook Lopez (neck).
The Bucks have scored an average of 117.5 points per game while grabbing 45.2 rebounds and issuing 25.1 assists per game during their last 10 games played. Milwaukee is also averaging 7.6 steals and 5.5 blocks per game during that period. The Bucks defense has also allowed an average of 113.0 points per game in their last 10 games played.
LeBron James is averaging 30.8 points per game in his last 10 games played for the Lakers while Anthony Davis is contributing 25.7 points and 11.3 rebounds per game in his last six games. Russell Westbrook is putting up 18.4 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 7.7 assists per game this season. Los Angeles will be without Carmelo Anthony (hamstring), Dwight Howard, (back), and Kendrick Nunn (knee).
In their last 10 games played, the Lakers are scoring an average of 108.6 points per game while allowing their opponents to score 109.6 points per contest. During that span, the Lakers are pulling down 43.4 rebounds, issuing 22. 9 assists per game with 7.6 steals and 5.5 blocks per game while shooting 46% from the floor.
Milwaukee is 4-1 SU in their last five games played. The Bucks are 2-4 SU in their last six road games, Los Angeles is 2-4 SU in their last six games played. The Lakers are 7-2 SU in their last nine home games.
Head to head, the Bucks have won eight out of the last 10 meetings between these two teams.
The Bucks head to this matchup with a three-game winning streak and they have won seven out of their last 10 games played. Milwaukee won its last three games by double-digits and is coming off an impressive 24-point rout of the LA Clippers in their last game.
The Lakers have gotten both LeBon James and Anthony Davis back but despite being complete, they had a hard time beating a struggling Knicks squad the last time out. Los Angeles needed an extra five minutes before they could put away New York’s challenge and as usual, we saw the incredible inconsistency of this team from start to finish.
Los Angeles is just 4-6 in their last 10 games played and on average, they have been outscored by one point per game during that stretch. The Bucks meanwhile have outscored their opponents by an average of 4.5 points per game in their last 10 outings and have won their previous three games by double digits.
It’s easy to see which team is playing better right now and it’s not the Lakers. Los Angeles hasn’t been too stellar at home this season at 17-12 SU while the Bucks are 15-12 SU on the road this year. The defense has been an issue for the Lakers and that defense is going to fail them against Giannis and Middleton. When those two get going, the rest of the Bucks offense will follow.
Prediction: Milwaukee Bucks
The Bucks are 4-1 ATS in their last five games played. Milwaukee is 2-4 ATS in their last six road games played, 6-0 ATS in their last six Tuesday games, 2-5 ATS in their last seven games after an ATS win, 2-5 ATS in their last seven games after a straight-up win of more than 10 points, and 2-7 ATS in their last nine games after a straight-up win.
The Lakers are 4-1 ATS in their last five games played. Los Angeles is 5-0 ATS in their last five February games, 5-1 ATS in their last six Tuesday games, 4-1 ATS in their last five games after allowing more than 100 points in their previous game, 4-1 ATS in their last five games when their opponent allows 100 or more points in their previous game, 16-37 ATS in their last 53 games after a straight-up win, 2-5 ATS in their last seven games after an ATS win, 3-10 ATS in their last 13 games when playing on two days rest, and 4-11 ATS in their last 15 games against an opponent with a winning percentage better than .600.
Head to head, the Bucks are 6-3 ATS in their last nine games played against the Lakers.
The Bucks have outscored the Lakers by an average of 5.1 points per game in their last 10 meetings and 5.0 points per game in their most recent five encounters. Milwaukee has been winning big as of late while the Lakers continue to struggle while closing out games and keep on blowing leads.
Los Angeles has the 17th least efficient defense in the NBA and they are up against a Milwaukee team that is 8th in the NBA in effective field goal percentage and 6th in the league in scoring.
As stated above, Los Angeles’ poor defense is going to fail them here. Unless they can put the clamps on Giannis and Middleton, it’s going to be an easy offensive outing for the Bucks. Give me Antetokounmpo to have a big scoring night with Middleton providing more than enough support.
Prediction: Bucks -5
The total has gone over in four out of the last five games played by the Bucks. The over is 5-0 in their last five games against the Western Conference, 5-1 in their last six games when their opponent scores 100 or more points in their previous game, and 4-1 when their opponent allows more than 100 points in their previous game.
The total has gone over in four out of the last five games played by the Lakers. The over is 8-3 in their last 11 games against the Eastern Conference, 4-1 in their last five against the Central Division, 4-1 in their last five games after an ATS win, 4-1 in their last five games when playing on 2 days rest, 5-2 in their last seven games after a straight-up win, 9-4 in their last 13 games against an opponent with a winning percentage better than .600, and 9-4 in their last 13 games after scoring 100 or more points in their previous game.
Milwaukee has been averaging 117.5 points per game in their last 10 games played and has put up back-to-back 137 point games. They have gone over 231 points four times in their last five games and should be a handful to the defense of the Lakers.
Los Angeles has conceded 111 points or more in four out of their last five games played. The Lakers are ranked 26th in scoring defense, allowing 112.3 points per game this season.
With Los Angeles’s inability to defend and Milwaukee’s scoring prowess, this game should go over the posted total of 231 points.
Prediction: Over 231.5
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