Shooting stars. (via NBA.com)
Bucks (9-12, 4-8 road) @ Lakers (16-2, 9-1 home)
Gametime: 8:30 p.m. central time (FSN-W)
Bucks | Position | Lakers |
Luke Ridnour |
PG | Derek Fisher |
Michael Redd |
SG | Kobe Bryant |
Richard Jefferson |
SF | Vladimir Radmanovich |
Malik Allen |
PF | Pau Gasol |
Andrew Bogut |
C | Andrew Bynum |
Injuries:
Bucks: Charlie Bell (ankle) has missed three straight games and is day-to-day.
Lakers: None.
07/08 Series:
Nov. 21: @Bucks 110 Lakers 103
Jan. 11: @Lakers 110 Bucks 105
08/09 Advanced Stats:
Bucks: Offense: 24th (102.8 points/100 possessions) Defense: 11th (104.5) Pace: 17th (91.4)
Lakers: Offense: 2nd (113.2 points/100 possessions) Defense: 3rd (100.5) Pace: 3rd (105.9)
Three points:
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Second quarter. You might want to pay special attention during the second quarter tonight, or you might want to cover your eyes. The Lakers have won an NBA-best 76 % of its second quarters this season, whereas Milwaukee is at its worst right before halftime. The Bucks have won a dreadful 23 % of second quarters, only better than the Thunder.
- Deep lakes. Only two Lakers average 30+ minutes per game: Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol. The playing time is spread out for a couple reasons. First, the Lakers are deep everywhere. Lamar Odom, Trevor Ariza, and Jordan Farmar are some of the best backups in basketball. Twenty-eight year-old Luke Walton (4.5 mpg) can't even find the court anymore despite coming off two strong seasons. Secondly, the Lakers are outscoring opponents by an incredible 12.2 points per game. That +12.2 differential is the same as the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls who went 72-10. The lopsided nature of games has enabled Los Angeles to rest starters. There is some hope, as the Lakers are coming off a tight, 104-102 win against the lowly Wizards. Plus, the Bucks split last year's season series and actually outscored the Lakers by two points.
- Michard Jefferedd? Michael Redd and Richard Jefferson are putting up very similar stats in many categories thus far. Consider: Points: Redd (20.4) Jefferson (19.1) Assists: Redd (2.1) Jefferson (2.1) FG%: Redd (43.6) Jefferson (43.6) 3PT%: Redd (41.7) Jefferson (40.3) FT%: Redd (80.0) Jefferson (78.2) Steals: Redd (0.7) Jefferson (0.7).
Coverage:
Bucks.com / Forum Blue and Gold / The Lakers Nation / L.A. Ball Talk / Lakers Blog / Sports Hub L.A.