NBA picks: Bucks vs. Lakers prediction, odds, over/under, spread, injury report for Friday, March 8

Antetokounmpo, Damian Lillard (who was a late add to the report), Davis and Reddish are all in. The Bucks are 4.5-point favorites and the total is 229.5. I think Milwaukee is still the play as the ATS pick, and the under is the move on the total.

James has been ruled out due to his ankle injury. The Bucks are now 3.5-point favorites and the total comes in at 229. Milwaukee is still looking like the ATS pick and the under appears to be safer on the total with the King sidelined.

The Milwaukee Bucks (41-22) continue their four-game road trip with a matchup with the Los Angeles Lakers (34-30) on Friday. Tipoff from the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles is set for 10 p.m. ET, and the game will air on ESPN. This is the first of two games between these teams this season, and the next is scheduled for March 26.

Milwaukee small forward Khris Middleton will miss Friday’s game with an ankle injury. Star power forward Giannis Antetokounmpo is probable for the game while dealing with left Achilles tendinitis.

Los Angeles has a much more crowded injury report. Forward Christian Wood (knee) and point guard Gabe Vincent (knee) will both miss the game. Power forward Jarred Vanderbilt is not expected to play but has been making progress with his foot injury. Small forward LeBron James (ankle) and power forward Anthony Davis (Achilles) are both listed as questionable. Small forward Cam Reddish is probable despite an ankle issue.

The Bucks are 2.5-point favorites at DraftKings Sportsbook. Milwaukee is the -135 moneyline favorite, while Los Angeles is installed as the +114 underdog. The point total is set at 232.

Bucks vs. Lakers, 10 p.m. ET

Pick ATS: Bucks -2.5

This is a tough game to predict with all of the injuries and the spread and point total choices could change depending on who is active for the game. Despite the star power on each of these teams, neither the Bucks nor the Lakers have had much success against the spread this season. Milwaukee has covered in 43.6% of its games, while Los Angeles has covered in 44.6%, the fourth and fifth-worst marks in the NBA. The numbers when looking at ATS records with a day of rest and coming off a loss actually favor the Lakers. Still, Los Angeles has failed to play consistent basketball this season and is dealing with more injuries than Milwaukee. The Bucks should cover.

Over/Under: Under 232

Whether it is due to the Bucks’ pressure on defense or just their string of opponents, they haven’t seen more than 220 combined points scored in each of their last seven games. The Lakers are coming off a 250-point slugfest with the Sacramento Kings, which is likely inflating this line. Given the injuries to Los Angeles, the under should hit.