League superstars Luka Doncic and Giannis Antetokounmpo lead their respective teams in a marquee matchup, with each fresh from a win but also on a second night of a back-to-back.

Catch the game tomorrow, November 16th, at 9:00 AM, Manila time.

AWAY: Los Angeles Lakers (9-4, 6-2 ROAD)

Projected starting five:

  • Austin Reaves
  • Marcus Smart
  • Luka Doncic
  • Rui Hachimura
  • DeAndre Ayton

The Lakers are coming off a solid 118-104 road win over the Pelicans, and they’ve quietly turned into one of the league’s better traveling squads with a 6–2 record away from home. They’ve been leaning heavily on Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves, who are averaging 33.7 and 28.6 points per game, respectively. Both have been offensive machines all season, but with each carrying possible bumps and bruises, and with this being the second night of a back-to-back, the Lakers may need to manage their energy carefully.

Defensively, it’s going to be a grind. Giannis Antetokounmpo is a nightmare assignment on any night, but even more so when fatigue is in play. That puts added pressure on DeAndre Ayton, who can’t afford to drift or lose focus, especially against the league’s most relentless downhill force.

As always, the Lakers’ role players will be massive X-factors. Rui Hachimura, Marcus Smart, Jake LaRavia, Jarred Vanderbilt, and rookie Dalton Knecht bring the mix of size, toughness, and scoring pop that often swings these tougher matchups. If even two or three of them have strong outings, it could help lighten the load on the stars and keep L.A. competitive.

HOME: Milwaukee Bucks (8-5, 5-2 HOME)

Projected starting five:

  • Ryan Rollins
  • AJ Green
  • Gary Trent Jr.
  • Giannis Antetokounmpo
  • Myles Turner

The Bucks are coming off a wild 147-134 overtime win against the Hornets, a game they probably didn’t want to work that hard for, but a win is a win. They’ll take it, especially heading into a matchup against a Lakers team on tired legs. Of course, Giannis Antetokounmpo will be the focal point again. He has a favorable matchup in this one, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see him set the tone early with his usual mix of power and pace.

Milwaukee has also been getting strong production from its supporting cast. Third-year guard Ryan Rollins continues to thrive at 17.5 points per game and looks more confident every night. Kyle Kuzma just had his best game of the season with a monster 29-10-5 line and four steals, and the Bucks would love for him to ride that momentum. Myles Turner has been somewhat quiet, but he did knock down six threes on his way to 18 points last game – another good sign for their spacing.

With shooters like Gary Trent Jr. and AJ Green lurking, plus Bobby Portis always capable of heating up out of nowhere, the Bucks have plenty of candidates for a sneaky big-night performance. This team has firepower, and they’ll need all of it against a high-octane Lakers squad.

PICKS

Spread: Bucks (+1.5)
Over/Under: Under (230.5)