The (11-8) Los Angeles Lakers are in beer city, Milwaukee, Wisconsin to start their road trip against the (7-11) Bucks. Milwaukee, parked majestically on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan. Milwaukee, once known exclusively as a driving force in brewing and manufacturing has gone through a renaissance and has changed their image.
Visit Milwaukee, the largest city in Wisconsin, today and you will have to take notice of Miller Park, Pier Wisconsin, Milwaukee River walk and the Milwaukee Art Museum. The Lakers however have come to the Bradley Center on business. After a much-needed win in the commissioner induced rivalry with the Clippers, the Lakers embark on their annual Grammy road trip.
On this extended road trip, the purple and gold will play eight of their next nine games away from the Staples Center.
One month into the season the Lakers win over the Clippers could bring the purple and gold much-needed confidence and belief in the system.There is a chance that the Lakers could have found their identity. However, this extended road trip is a critical stretch for the Lakers who are 1-6 on the road this season. The Lakers are seeking to end their road woes. L.A. is in search of answers as well as woes improved play on the road.
The Lakers are averaging 89.7 points per game which ranks 21st in the league, their opponents points per game 97.9, which is 19th. The purple and gold are shooting 42.4 % from the floor that ranks 13th in the league and a dreadful 23.4% from behind the arc, which ranks 30th in the league or dead last.
At game time the temperature outside the arena will be 20-degrees, the hope is that the Lakers shooting will be much warmer. The Lakers split last year’s two-game season series with the Bucks after sweeping the season series in both the 2008-2009 and 2009-2010 seasons. The Lakers are 6-4 in their last 10 games against the Bucks, winning six of their seven overall. The Lakers are 8-2 at the Bradley Center.
The Lakers have gone 12 straight games scoring under 100 points. Despite their record, the Bucks have reached the century mark 10 times this season. The Bucks lost star center Andrew Bogut, for the next 8-to-9 weeks to a fractured ankle and the team is 0-6 without him. In the Bucks previous game, Brandon Jennings and Drew Gooden combined for 48 points. The reserves led by Jon Leuer scored an impressive 42 points.
The extended road trip gives the Lakers a perfect opportunity to come together as a team. Brandon Jennings a young quick scoring point guard, the type the Lakers has struggled against for years, leads the Bucks. This contest will come down to the Lakers defense as well as offensive execution, which will improve with the luxury of more practice time a commodity every team is lacking in this short truncated season.
The Lakers, despite their struggles on offense are a top defensive team. To win in Milwaukee L.A. has to play solid against the pick-and-roll play, stop the dribble penetration of the guards, control the tempo of the game, get back in transition, control the boards on both ends of the court and quickly rotate out to open shooters.
The Lakers have two glaring weaknesses, no athleticism on the perimeter and not having another playmaker on the perimeter besides Kobe Bryant. The injury to Steve Blake has really effected this team. The only way to mask those deficiances would be to return to the triangle offense.
http://www.examiner.com/sports-in-los-angeles/battle-of-los-angeles-act-ii
The win against the Clippers allowed the Lakers to snap a three-game losing skid. The Lakers had a balanced team effort with five players scoring in double-digits. Pau Gasol received more touches in the painted area as oppose to 16-23 feet away from the basket.
The best improvement was that Pau Gasol was aggressive and attacked the basket. Due to the trade of Lamar Odom that makes Gasol is the second best facilitator on the team. Due to Gasol being such a skilled big man, head coach Mike Brown wants to have Gasol attack from a variety of locations to avoid having him beat on by opposing stronger big man if said opponents know exactly where he plans to attack them.
Starters
Lakers: D. Fisher, K. Bryant, M. Barnes, P. Gasol, A. Bynum
Bucks: B. Jennings, S. Livingston, C. Delfino, D. Gooden, E. Ilyasova
Tip-off: 5:30 PM PST
Television –
- Los Angeles: KCAL 9 (Bill Macdonald & Stu Lantz)
- Milwaukee: FS Wisconsin (Jim Paschke & John McGlocklin)
Radio –
- Los Angeles: 710 ESPN (John Ireland & Mychal Thompson)
- Milwaukee: WTMJ AM 620 (Ted Davis & Dennis Krause))
Injuries –
Lakers:
- Josh McRoberts (Sprained Left Big Toe) Probable
- Kobe Bryant (Torn Lunotriquetral Ligament, Right Wrist) Probable
- Steve Blake (Bruised Ribs) Out
Bucks:
- Andrew Bogut (Left Ankle Fracture) Out
- Stephen Jackson (1 game Suspension) Out