The Milwaukee Bucks (16-21) head to the city of angels to take on G Luka Doncic and his Los Angeles Lakers (23-12). The game tips at 10:30 p.m. ET on Friday from Los Angeles, live on NBA TV.
The Bucks have posted a 5-3 record since Dec. 23., and they’re in the midst of a four-game road trip that’s seen them go 1-1, the loss coming at the hands of the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday.
The Lakers sit at the five-spot in the Western Conference, just two games out of the two-seed.
Below, we’ll break down our Bucks vs. Lakers prediction on the spread. Use PrizePicks NBA to make picks on player projections and win real money if you’re right.
{{nba_offer_banner="/style-system/ui-components-playbook"}}
Bucks vs. Lakers Prediction on Spread
Health has been an issue for the Lakers this season. Austin Reaves (hamstring) has been out since Christmas Day and will be sidelined for a couple more weeks. Rui Hachimura (calf) hasn't seen the court since Dec. 28th, and LeBron James (foot/sciatica) missed the Lakers' last game. James and Hachimura are both listed as questionable.
Here in 2026, Doncic has averaged 34.5 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 9 assists. He's coming off 38-point triple-double in the Lakers' loss to San Antonio on Wednesday, but it was still not a performance to be fully proud of, saying after the game, “I missed free throws and turnovers, man.”
Bucks F Giannis Antetokounmpo has battled injuries of his own — he returned from a calf strain on Dec. 27 that saw him miss 14 games. Since he made it back onto the court, he's flashed his NBA form, averaging 31.5 points per game. He’s taken his game to another level here in January, averaging 33.7 points, 10.3 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game. More importantly, he has played more than 30 minutes in all three games, indicating that his calf issues are behind him.
Bucks vs. Lakers Over/Under, Spread
The Lakers enter Sunday’s game as 3.5-point home favorites, returning a 1.53x payout on PrizePicks Team Picks if they win outright.
The Bucks are road underdogs with a 2.32x payout if they win, via PrizePicks Team Picks.
- Spread: Los Angeles Lakers -3.5 (1.88x payout)
- Over/Under: 231.5 (1.92x payout on over)
- Game Winner Payout: Bucks 2.32x | Lakers 1.53x
Team Picks payouts are live as of publishing and are subject to change.
Bucks vs. Lakers Numbers to Know
Here are some facts and figures to help prepare you for Bucks vs. Lakers today.
- The Lakers have the fifth-best record to the over against the spread (ATS) in the NBA, going 21-14..
- This number jumps to 13-3 ATS to the over at home (81.3%), by far the best record in the league.
- The Lake Show posts the tenth-worst defensive rating in the NBA at 116.9.
- Additionally, L.A. allows opponents to shoot 48.6% from the field, the fourth-worst mark in the league.
- With Giannis on the floor, the Bucks have an elite offensive rating of 123.5. Without him, that number drops to the low 100s, which would rank near the bottom in the NBA.
Bucks vs. Lakers NBA Picks, Stats for PrizePicks Today
Here are two of the top Bucks vs. Lakers picks to consider for PrizePicks today. Player projections via the PrizePicks real-money NBA game.
Lakers PG Luka Doncic vs. Bucks Projection: 53 Pts+Rebs+Asts
- With a 231.5 total prediction — the third-highest on Friday's 10-game slate — this game could be a track meet.
- The Bucks allow 26 free throw attempts per contest, the fifth most in the NBA. Luka averages 12.1 free throw attempts per game, the most of his career.
- Luka puts up 35.8 points, 8 rebounds, and 9 assists per game at home. On the road, it's 31.2-7.2-7.9.
- Doncic is much more efficient at the Crypto.com Arena, shooting 49% from the field and 33.3% from three as opposed to 43.3% and 29.7% on the road.
Bucks PF Giannis Antetokounmpo vs. Lakers Projection: 47.5 Pts+Rebs+Asts
- The Lakers allow the fourth-highest opponent field goal percentage in the league at 48.6%. Giannis is shooting a career-high 64.5% from the field this season.
- The Deer have a pace rating of 99.16, almost equal to the Lakers' 99.83.
- L.A. gives up 27.6 assists per game, eighth-most in the NBA.
- The Greek Freak has surpassed this number in three of his last six games since returning from injury — and he was on a minutes limit in half of those games.
{{nba_offer_banner="/style-system/ui-components-playbook"}}
Make Bucks vs. Lakers Picks on PrizePicks
You can make your Bucks vs. Lakers picks — or your Luka vs. Giannis picks — on PrizePicks and PrizePicks Team Picks and earn real money. Just pick players, predict More or Less on their projected stats, and cash in if you’re correct. With Team Picks, make predictions on winners, spreads, and over/unders, now available in 30 states.
Stick around with the Playbook for continued NBA predictions, picks, and news.
Team Picks and Culture Picks are event contracts offered by Performance Predictions II, LLC d/b/a PrizePicks Predict, a CFTC-registered FCM and NFA Member. All event contract customers must be U.S. residents and 18+. Some event contracts may not be available in every state. Event contract trading carries significant risk and is not appropriate for everyone. No guarantee against loss is offered. Past results are not necessarily indicative of future results. Void where prohibited by law. Restrictions apply. For full terms of service see prizepicks.com/predict-regulatory. Team and Culture Pick Early Payouts subject to market liquidity. The content provided is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice, or a recommendation to trade any commodity interest.
