Yahoo Sports
Bucks vs. Lakers, can Milwaukee slow down MVP front-runner Luka Dončić?
Yahoo Sports

The Milwaukee Bucks host the top team in the Western Conference in the Los Angeles Lakers and MVP front-runner Luka Dončić tonight, Nov. 11, at Fiserv Forum and hope to snap a seven-game losing streak .
The Bucks (1-10) lost in New York on Nov. 10 while the Lakers (10-2) have won six straight. The last time the Bucks lost eight games in a row was from March 11-27, 2014 .
Bucks have a big man problem
The Bucks are having issues all over the court, which is how a team loses seven in a row and wins once in 11 games. But they are being hurt by the lack of offensive production from veteran Myles Turner and newly acquired Kel’el Ware at the center position.
Turner is in a horrific shooting slump, making just 25.5% of his 3-pointers (with a lot of airballs) and 32.9% overall to average just 6.7 points per game. All are career-lows by far. He is averaging 2.7 assists and has had 7-assist and 6-assist games, but is turning it over a career-high 2.0 times per game.
Turner has also been held scoreless on two occasions and scored six or fewer points six times in 11 games. The last time Turner didn’t score in a game was on Feb. 6, 2025, when he was with Indiana and played just under six minutes due to an injury. The last time he didn’t score in a game where he played full minutes was on March 24, 2021.
He was held to single digit scoring in 28 games last season.
Ware, who was a key piece in the return from Miami in the Giannis Antetokounmpo trade, is also slumping on offense. He’s making just 20% of his 3-pointers and shooting 39.3% overall in averaging 8.5 points per game. He’s also averaging 1.5 turnovers and under 1 block per game. Ware's minutes had also declined three straight games from Nov. 2-6 as head coach Taylor Jenkins said he was looking for better play out of the reserve center.
Can the Bucks slow down Luka Dončić?
The Bucks will have their hands full defensively against the Lakers and Dončić, who comes into the game leading the league in scoring (39.3 points), field goal attempts (24.3), field goals made (12.1), 3-point attempts (13.5), 3-pointers made (5.5), free throws attempted (10.9) and free throws made (9.6).
He’s also handing out 7.9 assists per game.
The insane production from Dončić has powered the Lakers to the most points per game (122.1) and a league best 121.5 offensive rating (points per 100 possessions). Los Angeles is also the league’s best shooting team (50.7%) and fourth-best 3-point shooting team (38.4%).
Defensively, the Bucks have yet to find a groove as they struggle to find the right lineup combinations. They are allowing the third-most points per game (121.2 points per game) and have the second-worst defensive rating (120.5 points allowed per 100 possessions).
Milwaukee Bucks injury report
Not available yet as the team is coming off a game in New York on Nov. 10. Tyler Herro missed that game with a right knee contusion and Kel’el Ware played through a left ankle sprain.
Bucks probable starters
Guards: Tyler Herro, Brayden Burries
Forwards: Kyle Kuzma, Jaime Jaquez Jr.
Center: Myles Turner
When will the Bucks win again?
Here are the next three games on the schedule:
Nov. 13 at Orlando, 6 p.m. CT
Nov. 15 vs. Atlanta, 7 p.m. CT
Nov. 18 at Miami, 6 p.m. CT
Bucks vs. Lakers odds
Los Angeles is a 13.5-point favorite over Milwaukee with the over/under set at 230.5 points, per BetMGM.
Team context
Form, next fixture and league position for the teams in this story.