True Lakers Fans

(10-15) at (3-21)

Tuesday, December 15, 2015, 7:30 PM PDT
Staples Center, Los Angeles, CA

Referees: Jason Phillips, Bennie Adams, Dedric Taylor

Line: Bucks -2.5

GAME PREVIEW: BUCKS AT LAKERS

By NBA.com

The Milwaukee Bucks just ended the most notable streak in the NBA this season and now they will try to end another one by extending one for the Los Angeles Lakers.

The Bucks seek to halt their nine-game road losing streak Tuesday night and hand the Lakers a seventh straight defeat.

Milwaukee (10-15) stunned Golden State 108-95 on Saturday, ending the Warriors' 28-game regular-season win streak and the defending NBA champions' 24-0 start. Greg Monroe had 28 points and 11 rebounds and Giannis Antetokounmpo notched his first career triple-double with 11 points, 10 assists and 12 boards.

"We definitely stuck together tonight," Monroe said. "We knew what they had coming in, a great run by them, especially coming off a championship."

Now the Bucks start a four-game trip that includes a rematch with the Warriors on Friday. Milwaukee is enduring its longest road slide since an 11-game skid Feb. 6-March 30.

"We have to build on this," Monroe said. "We have to take the things we did tonight and carry over to next game. Definitely the energy, the intensity we played with, how we played together."

A matchup with the league's second-worst team is an ideal opportunity to end those road woes. Los Angeles (3-21) was beaten by a combined 51 points in weekend losses at San Antonio and Houston to complete a 1-7 trip.

The Lakers will be back home for the first time since Nov. 29 as they continue to flounder in Kobe Bryant's final season. He's the second-worst shooter among qualifying players at 32.4 percent, and the worst on 3-pointers at 23.5.

There is some hope for Bryant's fans after some solid efforts on the trip, as he finally reached 50.0 percent from the field twice in the last four games. That included a 25-point effort in Saturday's 126-97 defeat to the Rockets in which he made 9 of 16 shots and added six assists and seven rebounds.

"It's like my rhythm is starting to come back a little and my legs are moving pretty well," said Bryant, who is shooting 29.0 percent at home. "I'm feeling good. I just worked and continued to run and lift and just hoping for the best."

Lakers forward Julius Randle has totaled 11 points on 5-of-20 shooting in his last two games after scoring 35 on 13-of-26 shooting in his previous two.

"He just hasn't played well the last couple games period," coach Byron Scott said. "His energy hasn't been the same."

Jordan Clarkson is listed as doubtful and could miss a third straight game with an ankle injury. Rookie D'Angelo Russell is back in the starting lineup in Clarkson's place, totaling 36 points and 10 assists in the last two games.

These teams are both among the least efficient on both ends of the floor, with Milwaukee averaging 99.1 points per 100 possessions and Los Angeles a Western Conference-worst 96.8. The Bucks concede 104.7 points per 100 possessions and the Lakers are at 108.5.

Milwaukee has captured four of the last five meetings, with these clubs splitting two in 2014-15.