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).