NBA Matchup: Los Angeles Lakers vs Milwaukee Bucks
Date: 17th November 2021
Time: 10:00 PM ET
Record 17 time NBA Champions Los Angeles Lakers will face the defending champions Milwaukee Bucks for the first time this season. Two of the Super-teams of this era have an uncharacteristic season till now though.
Los Angeles Lakers Season So far
The Lakers will be fresh from their current heavy defeat to the Chicago Bulls. In form, the Big 3 for the Lakers have yet to play together. Anthony Davis, LeBron James, and Westbrook played very early in the season together. Westbrook was just finding his role in the All-Star Roaster and couldn’t make many impacts on the play.
This would be the 16th game for the Lakers, and they need to come up strong in the remainder of the season to make their claim for the championship. With LeBron out for nearly half the season, Anthony carried the scoring load. On their day, Westbrook and Anthony have shown they can hurt an opponent.
Also Read: Kevin Durant Set to Feature in Damian Lillard’s Next Rap Album
Milwaukee Bucks Season So far
The Milwaukee Bucks had a rough start to the season. Their injury laden roaster was at Giannis Antetokounmpo’s mercy. Antetokounmpo has put on all-around performances in most of the games the Bucks have played. Giannis is their leader in points, blocks, assists, and rebounds.
Khris Middleton and Jrue Holiday are back but have yet to have an influence on the game by their standards. Middleton is now scoring some buckets with Holiday racking up his assists stats. Giannis will be still looking for some help from the frontcourt.
A lot of action from behind the arc this week.
Plays of Week presented by @BMOHarrisBank pic.twitter.com/utKSy9znTt
— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) November 15, 2021
Los Angeles Lakers vs Milwaukee Bucks Match Prediction
LeBron James’s contribution to the team is yet again highlighted. The Lakers are finding it difficult to balance out their team composition when LeBron is not on the court. Anthony Davis has played well, keeping the Lakers in 7th place in the West.
Milwaukee is also experiencing a “one-man show” due to constant injuries to its stars. They have their squad healthy and will be looking to get a high-quality performance. The Bucks are 6-8 for the season and are ranked 11th in the East.
The Lakers, statistically, are ahead of the Bucks in points per game by 2 points. But Milwaukee has allowed 3 fewer points than the Lakers. The Bucks and Lakers are similar in terms of rebounding and assists. But Milwaukee has better ball control with fewer turnovers than the Lakers.
James’s unavailability will be an issue for the Lakers. Milwaukee will be more determined to end a 2-game losing streak and will do so at home.
Injury Report
Los Angeles Lakers:
LeBron James (Abdomen): Ruled out until 19th November
Austin Reaves (Hamstring): Ruled out until 26th November
Kendrick Nunn (Knee): Ruled out until 28th November
Trevor Ariza (Ankle): Ruled out until 15th December
Milwaukee Bucks:
Donte DiVincenzo (Ankle): Ruled out until 26th November
Khris Middleton (Personal): Game Time Decision
Brooke Lopez (Back): Ruled out until 22nd November
How to watch Los Angeles Lakers vs Milwaukee Bucks?
The Fiserv Forum will host the match between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Milwaukee Bucks. The stadium is prepared to accept fans at full capacity. International viewers can access the game on NBA League Pass. ESPN will be the official national broadcaster for the game.
Also, Read NBA Injury Report: LA Lakers Give Major Update on LeBron James Return