My 10* play is on the Mil Bucks at 7:35 ET.

The LA Lakers are 11-4, tied with the Clippers for the NBA's best record. However, the Lakers own the NBA's best point-differential (plus-10.2), with the Clippers checking in at plus-7.1, No team has been better on the road than the Lakers, who take a perfect 7-0 SU run into their game tonight at the Bucks, who are 9-5 (6-1 at home) and own the league's second-best point differential at plus-9.8. Both teams are coming off losses, the Lakers 115-113 at home to the Warriors and the Bucks 125-123 at Brooklyn.

The good news for NBA fans is that in this 'Year of COVID,' both teams come in healthy. The Lakers blew a 14-point, fourth-quarter lead against the Warriors, with LBJ missing a last-second three-pointer. The Lakers are led by the dynamic duo of LBJ (23.7-7.9-7.5) and A.D. (21.3 & 9.0) plus have to added two terrific players in PG Schroder (14.8-4.2-4.7) and PF Harrell, who comes off the bench to add 14.0 & 7.4 in 24 1/2 minutes per game). Giannis (27.2-10.2-5.23) has won the last two MVP awards and has quite a sidekick in SF Middleton, who is averaging 22.1-6.3-3.6. Jrue Holiday (15.7-4.2-5.1) has taken over for the departed Bledsoe plus guard DiVincenzo (10.1 & 3.9) and center Brook Lopez (9.7 & 5.4) round out the starting lineup. The 6-10 Portis comes off the bench and while his numbers are a little shy of Harrell's, he's been a HUGE addition in averaging 10.9 & 8.1 in 23 MPG.

Which team to take off a loss? The Lakers are the better defensive team (105.1 PPG ranks third) but Milwaukee is averaging 120.4 PPG (2nd) on 48.5% shooting (5th), including 40.3% on threes (2nd). Beating the defending champs is something the Bucks almost NEED to do. That's my bet.

Good luck...Larry