NBA: LOS ANGELES LAKERS vs MILWAUKEE BUCKS | Nov 18

[Mary C]

 

After going up against each other once this season, two interconference rivals are set to grapple their way up to achieve the sweet smell of victory, as the Los Angeles Lakers face-off against the Milwaukee Bucks on November 18, 2021. 

 

Despite being the oldest team in the NBA, the Los Angeles Lakers are currently dealing with their biggest problem yet, and it’s not only about LeBron James being sidelined due to his health concerns. The Lakers are having trouble with their defense which has cost them plenty of points from their past five games.  

 

However, the Lakers are still hopeful to redeem themselves, as their star players are determined to put in their all on this match. Lakers shooting guard Malik Monk had shown why the team can rely on him in the clutch. Monk was given the nickname “Microwave” by his teammates because he is known for coming off the bench and scoring hot and fast. With LeBron James still out, Lakers point guard Russell Westbrook stepped up and led the Lakers’ offense. He showed exemplary performance against the Miami Heat, by making his third triple-double this season. Although he proved to be crucial for the team’s offense, he still needs to improve his passing and decision-making, which seemed to be careless in the past games. 

 

As for the Milwaukee Bucks, they have been in good shape so far despite winning only twice in their last five games. However, the teams’ worries arose as star player Giannis Antetokounmpo suffered from a right ankle sprain, which sidelined him during their recent match against the Boston Celtics. During the Bucks’ match against the New York Knicks, which they won, players such as Pat Connaughton and Jrue Holiday have shown excellent play. Connaughton led the team and scored a season-high 23 points, while Holiday added 18 points with six assists, greatly contributing to their victory. 

 

Since both Lakers and Bucks are in the same situations trying to buy a win or maintain a position, we anticipate an intense battle between the two teams. With the Lakers all over the place with defense, and with a Giannis-less Bucks, this game should be fairly interesting to watch. Given the performance of the Los Angeles Lakers for this season, ESPN Basketball Power Index Matchup Predictor states that there is only a 29.9% chance of them winning, which gives the other 70.1% to the Milwaukee Bucks. Will the Los Angeles Lakers be able to win all two games against the Milwaukee Bucks? Or will the Bucks be able to snatch the victory out of the Los Angeles Lakers’ hands? Let’s find out on November 18, 2021, 8:30 a.m. PST, at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.