Lakers Play Tonight at Forum

The Lakers will play the Milwaukee Bucks tonight at 7:30 in the second of two exhibitions at the Forum.

At 4:30, the San Antonio Spurs will play the Cleveland Cavaliers. The winners will meet Sunday night, after the losers play Sunday afternoon.

The Lakers are 2-1 in the exhibition season, having split with Portland and beaten Maccabi Tel Aviv.

Friday, the Lakers cut swingmen Michael Young and Steve Bucknall, leaving 14 players on the roster. Free-agent guard Keith Smith is rated a longshot.

The No. 2 pick, guard Tony Smith, was slowed by his early-camp absence but is still expected to remain with the team.

The competition for the 12th spot seems to be between two free-agent forwards, veteran Tony Brown and rookie Irving Thomas.