Bucks vs. Lakers Prediction, Odds and Best NBA Prop Bets for Thursday, March 20

Iain MacMillan | Mar 20, 2025

The Lakers are home underdogs to the Bucks on Thursday night. / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Lakers are fresh off a win against the Denver Nuggets and will now be on the second leg of a back-to-back when they host the Milwaukee Bucks.

The Bucks are doing their best to claim at least the No. 4 seed in the Eastern Conference and the No. 3 seed is also within reach if they get hot. Meanwhile, the Lakers are amid a logjam in the Western Conference. They're just one game back from the Houston Rockets in the No. 2 spot, but only one game ahead of the No. 5 seed, Memphis Grizzlies.

The Lakers will be without both LeBron James and Luka Doncic tonight. Can they still get the job done?

Lakers star Luka Doncic will not play tonight against the Milwaukee Bucks as he continues to manage a sprained right ankle, sources told ESPN. Thursday marks the final game in L.A.'s brutal six games in eight days stretch of the schedule. LAL has gone 3-2 so far.

— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) March 20, 2025

Tonight's interconference showdown promises to be a fun one. Let's dive into the odds and my best bets.

Bucks vs. Lakers Odds, Spread, and Total

Odds via BetMGM Sportsbook

Spread

• Bucks -6.5 (-105)
• Lakers +6.5 (-115)

Moneyline

• Bucks -275
• Lakers +220

Total

• 226.5 (Over -105/Under -115)

Bucks vs. Lakers How to Watch

• Date: Thursday, March 20
• Time: 10:30 p.m. EST
• Venue: crypto.com Arena
• How to Watch (TV): SportsNet LA and FDSWI
• Bucks record: 38-30
• Lakers record: 43-25

Bucks vs. Lakers Injury Reports

Bucks Injury Report

• Gary Trent Jr., SG - Game Time Decision
• Damian Lillard, PG - Game Time Decision
• Giannis Antetokounmpo, PG - Game Time Decision
• Jericho Sims, C - Out
• Bobby Portis, F - Out

Lakers Injury Report

• Trey Jemison III, C - Game Time Decision
• Rui Hachimura, PF - Game Time Decision
• LeBron James, SF - Out
• Maxi Kleber, PF - Out
• Luka Doncic, PG, Out

Bucks vs. Lakers Best Prop Bet

• Damian Lillard UNDER 3.5 Three-Pointers Made (-165) via BetMGM

The Lakers come into tonight with one of the best perimeter defenses in the NBA. They rank third in opponent three-point field goal percentage, keeping teams shooting 34.8% from beyond the arc. That number has dropped to 31.4% over their last three games. Lillard has made 3+ three-pointers just five times in his last six games.

Bucks vs. Lakers Prediction and Pick

The Lakers are on a hot streak and I have no interest in betting against them getting points, even with LeBron James and Luka Doncic sidelined. They have an average scoring margin of +13.0 over their last three games and they seem to be firing on all cylinders.

33.7% of the points scored by the Bucks this season come from three-point shots and now they have to face one of the best perimeter defenses in the Lakers, who have kept teams to shooting 34.8% from three-point land.

The Bucks also hurt themselves by their inability to grab offensive rebounds, ranking dead last in the league in offensive rebounding rate. That has led to them averaging -3.2 extra scoring chances per game. That could be what hurts them tonight as small road favorites against a team as hot as the Lakers.

Pick: Lakers +3.5 (-115) via BetMGM

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