LA Limps into Milwaukee – Lakers vs. Bucks

The Bucks are coming off one of the most lopsided wins this NBA season, thrashing the crap out of the New Jersey Nets. Now they get to host a team they are 50 ATS against in their last five meetings. But when that team is the Lakers, led by Kobe Bryant, NBA betting enthusiasts have to take a small step back before they lunge forward with their NBA betting dollars.

Let’s take in to consideration two main things. First, the Lakers are in the midst of one horrifically long road trip in the East, and have just lost decisively to both Atlanta and Charlotte. Then let’s also consider that Milwaukee has the twelfth best home scoring. They’re hardly a push over at home when given a cushion, and the Lakers look really, really bad right now.

NBA Betting Trends:

• LA Lakers are 8-3 SU in their last 11 games
• LA Lakers are 6-2 SU in their last 8 games on the road
• LA Lakers are 0-5 ATS in their last 5 games when playing Milwaukee
• Milwaukee is 2-11 ATS in its last 13 games
• Milwaukee is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games
• The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Milwaukee’s last 8 games
• Milwaukee is 1-6 ATS in its last 7 games at home

The trends only favor one thing – Milwaukee’s recent success against LA. Of course, you have to put that in to perspective. These teams play each other maybe once or twice a year, their last meeting being in December 2008, and they met in January of 2008 the game before. It’s encouraging when you have Michael Redd in the fold, but without him, do they have someone to answer for Kobe.

And the other concern I have for Milwaukee is that Richard Jefferson is that goto guy now, and he may have blown his load against his former team, the New Jersey Nets, who cast Skywalker aside unceremoniously. So if Kobe does get his act together, can Milwaukee counter?

Los Angeles Lakers (5616) vs. Milwaukee Bucks (3243)
Wednesday, April 1st Bradley Center, Milwaukee 8:00pm EST
NBA Betting Line: Lakers 6.5 (202.5)

Against Atlanta, Kobe got in to early foul trouble. Battling Charlotte proved impossible as the Bobcats built early momentum and never let up. That’s exactly what I expect Milwaukee to do. Every uber team has gone through a slump like this, and for the Lakers it’s just a matter of bad timing. Resting their stars with the topseed a virtual lock in the West is priority one right now. And while I won’t doubt Phil Jackson’s preplayoff strategy, I will certainly doubt the Lakers as road favorites tonight.

NBA Furious Free Pick: Milwaukee +6.5 (UNDER)