Los Angeles Lakers (8-2) @ Milwaukee Bucks (5-5)
11/16/2010
Bucks Projected Starting Line-up:
PG: Brandon Jennings: An electrifying, young point guard who has drawn comparisons from Kenny Anderson to Allen Iverson, Jennings is arguably one of the fastest player in the league. Along with his blazing speed, “Black Ice” brings a barrage of offensive weapons – ranging from elusive drives and jumpers to a killer crossover that could make even “The Answer” do a double take. Through 10 games, Jennings boasts modest numbers of 15.7 PPG, 6.3 APG and 5.0 RPG.
SG: John Salmons: After igniting the Bucks during their playoff run last season, Salmons received a hefty extension during the offseason. Unfortunately for the Bucks, 2010-11 hasn’t been as good to Salmons as the previous season, only posting 12.7 ppg so far. Despite his offseason, Salmons is a talented offensive player and he is capable of putting up big scoring numbers on any given night.
SF: Luc Richard Mbah a Moute: Having started three consecutive games in place of the injured Carlos Delfino, Mbah a Moute is an extremely long player who is capable of guarding multiple positions. At six-foot-eight, he is one of the better rebounding combo forwards in the league, pulling down an average of 6.4 rebounds in only 26.9 minutes per game. However, in his last five contests, his minutes have been upped to 32.6 and his boards have experienced a boost as well, jumping to 8.4 per contest, including two double-digit rebound performances.
PF: Drew Gooden: The five-year, 32-million dollar contract he signed during the offseason was regarded as one of the worst contracts of the summer; and thus far, skeptics are on par as his numbers are not reflective of a player earning six-plus million dollars per year. Currently, he is averaging 9.6 points and 6.1 rebounds in 10 starts. His size at the power forward position allows the Bucks to matchup nicely with the Lakers larger frontcourt; however, he is no matchup for Lamar Odom or Pau Gasol.
C: Andrew Bogut: After suffering a gruesome arm injury at the end of last season, Bogut is back on the floor and slowly returning to the level he was at last year, where he put up averages of: 15.9 PPG, 10.1 RPG, and 2.5 BPG. In nine games, he is nearing those numbers, with 12.8 PPG, 10.6 RPG and 2.33 BPG. Similar to the Lakers’ Gasol, Bogut is one of the best passing big men in the league, who also possesses a smooth offensive touch from 17-feet in. Look for him to pose a challenging match up for Gasol whenever the two face off.
Key Reserves: Corey Maggette (12.9 PPG), Ersan Ilyasova (6.2 PPG, 4.4 RPG) and Keyon Dooling (4.1 PPG).
On the heels of two-game losing streak, the Lakers enter tonight’s matchup with the Bucks, looking to get back to their accustomed winning ways. The game will be a very intriguing matchup, as the Lakers top-ranked offense (112.5 PPG) will take on the Bucks top-ranked defense (89.4 PPG). While most teams have difficulties matching up with the Lakers big front line, the Bucks offer a sizeable frontcourt of their own, with Mbah a Moute (six-foot-eight), Gooden (six-foot-10) and Bogut (seven-foot) entering as the Bucks’ starters.
Both teams are currently dealing with injuries. The Lakers just received word that Theo Ratliff will be out four-to-six weeks following knee surgery to repair a torn meniscus. Steve Blake, who sat out the Lakers loss to Phoenix on Sunday night, with a stomach virus, is listed as day-to-day; as is forward Lamar Odom, who just had a negative MRI on his foot. For the Bucks, forwards Carlos Delfino and Luc Richard Mbah a Moute are listed as day-to-day with minor injuries.
Keys to a Lakers’ Victory:
While the Bucks have a Hollywood-worthy superstar headlining their roster, they are a very solid all-around team ran by a very good coach in Soctt Skiles. As stated before, they are one of the better defensive teams in the league, allowing a league-low 89.4 PPG in addition to holding their opponents to 42.5% shooting (good for second-best in the league). With that being said, they are not a team to be taken lightly, no matter what their record is. They won 47 games last season, and pushed the Hawks to seven games – which was not a fluke. This is the type of game the Lakers could easily drop and find themselves on three-game losing streak. However, given their recent string of losses, it’s difficult them to imagine Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol or any Laker for that matter, allowing another loss. The key for the Lakers tonight (and every night for that matter) will be defense. If they can shut down the Bucks’ offense and keep Jennings from lighting us up, it should be an easy win for the Purple and Gold. For those who don’t remember what happened last time the Lakers traveled to Deer Country, THIS might refresh your memory.