NBA - LA Lakers caught cold by Bucks ahead of Miami Heat showdown

The Los Angeles Lakers were still licking their wounds on Wednesday after being humiliated by the Milwaukee Bucks the previous night in a game the NBA champions had previously earmarked as a possible upset. 

Los Angeles had vowed not to look past Milwaukee with their biggest challenge of the season looming large -- a Christmas Day showdown on Saturday with LeBron James and the Miami Heat.

However much they tried to guard against complacency, the Lakers were totally outplayed on their home court on Tuesday in a stunning 98-79 defeat by an under-strength opposition.                                           

The Bucks had lost their six previous games to Los Angeles and were a lacklustre 10-16 for the season after being  pummelled 106-80 by the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday.                                           

"We just didn't play very well," Lakers forward Matt Barnes told reporters after his team's five-game winning streak was snapped. "It was a sub-.500 team that we should've clamped down on, and we didn't do that. 

"We knew not to overlook this team. Any time your main players are out that's when it's even more dangerous because you know that anything can come from anywhere."

Milwaukee were missing three regular starters -- pivotal point guard Brandon Jennings, Corey Maggette and Drew Gooden  -- through injury.    

Not that anyone would have noticed, though, as the super-charged Bucks led for most of the game before finishing with a flourish on a 21-7 run.    

Deserved loss                                         

"We could have lost to anybody in the league," Lakers forward Lamar Odom said. "We deserved to lose, they beat us. We obviously have to move on but I feel like that is a game we should win."   

Whether or not Saturday's home game against the Heat had been an unwanted distraction for the Lakers while on court  against the Bucks, the subject had been discussed during their pre-game shootaround.      

As Lakers coach Phil Jackson recalled: "It was mentioned, 'Don't mess around and let this game get away from us and then  ruin what we're trying to do on Christmas'."   

Veteran Lakers guard Derek Fisher did not rule out the effect of the Heat factor on Tuesday night.                                           

"It's a possibility but even in looking past someone it requires an action on your part," he said. "I don't think it was so much about the opponent. We just didn't play the type  of game we needed to play."    

Los Angeles had won five of their last six games on the road before being embarrassed by the Bucks, a back-at-home let-down Jackson has seen several times before.           

"I don't think it's endemic in our team," he said. "I think it's pretty natural for teams to have that happen to them and I think everybody knows it and you have to prepare  against it. 

"But it's still not an excuse to have a team outwork you  as much as Milwaukee did. It was a wake-up game of sorts for our team."                                           

As wake-up calls go, it is certainly very timely with  All-Stars James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, plus the rest of the (21-9) Miami Heat, next up on the Lakers' agenda.