Los Angeles Lakers stars LeBron James and Anthony Davis were too much for the league-leading Milwaukee Bucks on Friday night.
In the highly-anticipated second game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Milwaukee Bucks, LeBron James delivered an MVP-level performance, but his running mate Anthony Davis delivered a great one as well, outdueling a great game from Giannis Antetokounmpo. James finished with game-high 37 points with eight rebounds and seven assists while Anthony Davis had 30 points in the game, with many of them coming in the 2nd half. With the win, the Lakers also clinched a playoff spot for the first time since 2013.
Both teams set the tone early of a fierce defensive battle. With Milwaukee’s No. 1 defense and the Lakers. No. 3 defense coming into Friday’s game, both teams were locked in on their objectives. The Lakers used their size all over the court to pester the reigning MVP and the Bucks defense was locked in against both Anthony Davis and LeBron James. But time after time on Friday, unlike the first meeting between the two teams, LeBron James took control of things on the offensive end by scoring the ball.
James scored 14 of his points in the third quarter and had a couple of great one-on-one moments in his battle against Antetokounmpo. Davis, too, had 11 points in the quarter and he followed it up with double-digits again in the fourth quarter, scoring nearly all of his points in the second half when the Lakers needed them most to pull away from the Bucks.
Antetokounmpo never gave in to the Lakers having a great game with 32 points, 12 rebounds and six assists. Donte DiVincenzo was the player who did the most to help Giannis, scoring 17 points off the bench and helping key a Bucks rally in the fourth quarter after the Lakers led by as many as 15. Khris Middleton had an awful night, going 5 for 19 from the field.
Meanwhile, the Lakers had plenty of contributions from their role players like JaVale McGee (11 rebounds, 3 steals), Danny Green (30 minutes, 2 3-pointers), pesky defense from Avery Bradley and some key minutes in the second half from Alex Caruso.
But the Lakers don’t have much time to celebrate as they will face off against the Clippers on Sunday.
Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James looked like he was in feel-it-out mode in the first game against the Milwaukee Bucks back in December.
The basketball world will have their eyes fixed on Los Angeles and Staples Center tonight as the two best teams in the NBA do battle for the second and final time in the regular season. Back on Dec. 19, the Bucks beat the Lakers in Milwaukee by the score of 111-104, with the Bucks holding the normally potent Lakers offense to just 104 points.
So while I usually save such effort for the postseason, I went back to watch the December match-up to see what to look for, what could be different and how the Lakers can earn what would easily be their best win of the season.
The Relentless Connectivity of the Bucks defense
The Bucks are running away with the NBA’s best defensive-rating by a country mile. Their current 101 defensive rating is four points better than the No. 2 ranked team in the league, the Raptors, and nearly five points better than the No. 3 ranked Lakers defense.
While Toronto relies on constant creativity and the Lakers have the talent to lock teams down for stretches, none of them have the relentless connectivity that the Bucks show on every possession. Even an early possession in the game warrants this hard close out from Brook Lopez on Kentavious Caldwell-Pope after LeBron finds him with an outlet pass. Plays like this and effort like this help Lopez’s legitimate case to make an All-Defensive team and also shows why the Bucks defense works on basically every level.
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Part of this also helps when LeBron himself has the ball. Look at all of the eyes on LeBron, let alone Wesley Matthews being inside his shirt on the drive.
The Bucks defense is elite for a reason but no NBA team is perfect, even though Milwaukee’s defense is pushing that limit. There is one avenue that the Lakers didn’t explore as much against Milwaukee last time and it will be interesting to see if the Lakers go to it tonight.
Will LeBron bring out the deep 3-pointers on the Bucks dropping scheme?
For the last three seasons, LeBron James has become more and more comfortable expanding his range from the 3-point line. But in going back to watch the first game where LeBron finished with 21 points and a triple-double, I came away wondering if LeBron had put his best game out there.
In the early going, it appeared that James was in learning-mode, almost like he is in Game 1 of a playoff series. And the shot-charts validated my observation as he took only one 3-point shot of 29-feet or longer against the Bucks. James has been shooting those shots more often since the Bucks game, taking over half of his 28 deep 3-point attempts since the calendar changed to 2020. James is 11 for 29 (39 percent) on those deep ones in 2019-20. So not only do teams have to think about it, it’s often been a devastating shot.
Will the Lakers bigs set screens higher to take advantage of the Bucks big men dropping back in the pick and roll? Can they set better screens on Wesley Matthew or whoever is guarding LeBron on the ball? For all of the other shooters on the Lakers, nobody on the team is equipped to create their own deep 3-point looks like LeBron is. If LeBron is going to put cracks in the defense, with as how great Milwaukee’s interior defense is, he’s going to have to do it from deep.
Should James force the Bucks defense to creep up, that could make things easier for Anthony Davis, who had a tough 11 for 25 night that included him going 0 for 6 from 3. The Bucks also give up the most corner 3s in the league, so Danny Green, who hit 7 3s in the last meeting, should still get plenty of looks.
Will Giannis stay hot from 3 against the Lakers? And will the other Bucks role players make them pay if he doesn’t?
The Lakers, while not as great as the Bucks as a team defensively, also have plenty of size in the middle to try and disturb the reigning MVP at the rim. To answer that size, Giannis had the best 3-point shooting game of his career in the Dec. 19 Milwaukee win. Antetokounmmpo was five of 8 from 3 in the game while he also got multiple 3-pointers from Wesley Matthews, George Hill, and Milwaukee’s other All-Star Khris Middleton.
Middleton only took 10 shots in the last game but still shot 50 percent, while Giannis lit it up from the outside. If Giannis struggles to make his 3-pointers, Middleton is plenty capable of creating his own offense. But the key for the Lakers will be trying to keep Giannis contained while also being turned into the rest of Milwaukee’s great 3-point shooters.
Gilgeous-Alexander was eliminated by the Bucks’ Khris Middleton in the first round of Saturday night’s Skills Challenge.
If it wasn’t for that pesky passing target.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander probably would’ve advanced in Saturday night’s Skills Challenge. Instead, he was beaten by Khris Middleton, the two-time All-Star for the Milwaukee Bucks who made his first pass and hit his second 3-point attempt to knock out SGA.
Gilgeous-Alexander fell behind Middleton when his first pass ricocheted off the side of the passing target. He also missed his second attempt, before finally connecting on his third.
He told Maddie Lee of The Oklahoman after the competition that “he knew” the passing skill would be the problem.
“Yeah, I’m going to practice a little more passing from now on and hopefully I’ll have the same opportunity from now on.”
When asked what makes that particular skill so difficult in the challenge setting, Gilgeous-Alexander said that he felt like he “rushed the passing”.
“When I thought about it, I think that’s what it was. I was trying to just fire it in there. When you get there just take your time and make an accurate pass. It goes by faster, obviously.”
Overall, Gilgeous-Alexander has had a successful All-Star Weekend despite getting knocked out of his first Skills Challenge.
He also scored 16 points in Team World’s 151-131 loss to Team USA in the Rising Stars Game on Friday night, where he showcased some crazy handles and his patented Shai scoop.
He lost to Khris Middleton from the Milwaukee Bucks. Bam Adebayo won the Skills Challenge, defeating former OKC center Domantas Sabonis.
The trend of the big men showing up and showing out during the Skills Challenge continued on Saturday night. Much to the detriment of Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
Gilgeous-Alexander was matched up against Khris Middleton, the two-time All-Star from the Milwaukee Bucks during the first round of the Skills Challenge.
Neither player had difficulty dribbling around the obstacles during the ball-handling portion of the challenge, but things broke down for Gilgeous-Alexander when he got to the pass.
While Middleton hit the target on his first pass, SGA’s was off the mark. He then didn’t know where the ball rack was, turning the wrong direction and losing precious seconds. He missed his next pass before finally hitting his third.
Both players made the layup and Gilgeous-Alexander almost caught Middleton at the end. Middleton’s first 3-point attempt was long off the back of the iron, and SGA put up a shot from around the hash mark to try and win the round on a heave.
His shot wasn’t off by much, but Middleton knocked down his second 3-point try for the victory.
Middleton lost to former Thunder center, Domantas Sabonis in the second round.
Sabonis then lost to the Heat’s Bam Adebayo in the final.
The Brooklyn Nets couldn’t handle Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton on Saturday.
Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton were too much for the Brooklyn Nets to handle on Saturday. The Milwaukee duo combined for 49 points on 19-for-32 shooting, helping the Bucks cruise to a 117-97 win over the Nets at Barclays Center.
The Nets weren’t nearly as efficient as their counterparts on Saturday. As a team, Brooklyn shot 33.3% from the floor and 30.6% from 3-point territory.
Brooklyn’s most efficient scorer was none other than Nets rookie Nic Claxton, who was called up from his G League assignment with Long Island to fill in for the injured DeAndre Jordan. In his 19 minutes of work, Claxton scored 14 points on 7-for-12 shooting.
Spencer Dinwiddie scored 11 points. In 20 minutes of work, Luwawu-Cabarrot went 3-for-5 from the floor (2-for-3 from long-range) and 2-for-2 at the line to finish with 10 points.
Jarrett Allen only scored five points, but he grabbed 10 rebounds and blocked four shots.
With the recent decade now suddenly in the rearview mirror, we looked at the top player who defined the 2010s for each team in the NBA.
With the recent decade now suddenly in the rearview mirror, we looked at the top player who defined the 2010s for each team in the NBA.
Atlanta Hawks: Al Horford
(Photo by Scott Cunningham/NBAE via Getty Images)
Honorable Mentions: Paul Milsap, Jeff Teague
The Atlanta Hawks were defined by their depth under former head coach Mike Budenholzer. It is what helped their entire starting lineup earn Eastern Conference Co-Players of the Month back in January 2015. But the best player during this era was Al Horford. The big man averaged 15.9 points, 8.4 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game from the 2010-11 season until he left the team during the 2016 offseason.
Boston Celtics: Paul Pierce
(Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images)
Honorable Mentions: Al Horford, Isaiah Thomas
Even though he won the 2008 NBA championship and the Finals MVP in 2008, Paul Pierce went on to make the Eastern Conference All-Star team three more times this decade. Before he was traded to the Brooklyn Nets in the summer of 2013, he was averaging 18.9 points and 5.6 rebounds with 4.1 assists this decade. Pierce even had a chance to officially retire with the organization on a one-day contract in July 2017.
Brooklyn Nets: Brook Lopez
(Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images)
Honorable Mentions: Deron Williams, Joe Johnson
Before they were the franchise that managed to sign both Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving in the same offseason, the Nets were long led by Brook Lopez. He was a member of the team both in New Jersey and in their move to the new home in Brooklyn back in 2012, which was his first and only career All-Star appearance. During his tenure with the team this decade, the big man put up 19.7 points and 6.6 rebounds as well as 1.7 blocks per game.
Charlotte Hornets: Kemba Walker
(Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
Honorable Mentions: Marvin Williams, Nicolas Batum
During a tough decade for the Hornets, the one thing that kept them alive and interesting was star point guard Kemba Walker. He was a part of the team as a member of the Bobcats and then when they rebranded as the Hornets. Walker was a two-time All-Star as well as a two-time recipient of the NBA Sportsmanship Award. The guard averaged 19.9 points, 5.5 assists and 1.3 steals per game for the team during the decade before he joined the Celtics.
Chicago Bulls: Jimmy Butler
(Photo by Randy Belice/NBAE via Getty Images)
Honorable Mentions: Derrick Rose, Joakim Noah
When former No. 1 overall pick Derrick Rose won MVP in 2011 at 22 years old, fans in Chicago fairly assumed they would have a new defining talent for their city. Unfortunately, serious injuries made the point guard become a less impactful player than projected. However, the blow was softened a bit with the sudden emergence of a late first-round pick in Jimmy Butler. The wing won the league’s Most Improved Player in 2015. He was a difference-maker on both sides of the ball, averaging 15.6 points and 1.5 steals per game with the Bulls.
Cleveland Cavaliers: LeBron James
(Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images)
Honorable Mentions: Kyrie Irving, Kevin Love
Considering that Cleveland’s hometown hero LeBron James notably left the Cavaliers as a free agent in 2010, few would have expected him to still be the Player of the Decade for this franchise. After such an ugly exit memorialized forever with a public shaming by team owner Dan Gilbert, though, James is a player who more than made up for the first early goodbye when he actually returned in 2014. All that he had to do was win the city’s first championship in any sport since 1948. In the process, he averaged an absurd 26.1 points per game with 7.7 rebounds and 8.0 assists for the Cavs in the 2010s.
Dallas Mavericks: Dirk Nowitzki
(Photo by Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images)
Honorable Mentions: Shawn Marion, Luka Doncic
Even though he was drafted in 1998, the undisputed most important in the career of Dirk Nowitzki happened in 2011 when he won a title and NBA Finals MVP. While his best playing days may have been before this decade, he still managed to be a perennial All-Star. The face of the franchise, he also won the league’s award for Teammate of the Year in 2017. His presence was felt, too, during his final season in the league as he helped ease the transition into the new era led by fellow European star Luka Doncic.
Denver Nuggets: Nikola Jokic
(Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images)
Honorable Mentions: Kenneth Faried, Ty Lawson
The Denver Nuggets may have hit the lottery when they selected Serbian big man Nikola Jokic with the 41st overall pick in the 2014 NBA draft. Jokic is a talent like no other in the league and has become one of the more versatile players in recent memory. He has averaged 16.4 points, 9.6 rebounds and 5.3 assists for the Nuggets and the most exciting part is that he may still plenty of room to improve. At just 24 years old, the center could also be the best player of the decade in the 2020s for the Nuggets as well.
Detroit Pistons: Andre Drummond
(Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
Honorable Mentions: Greg Monroe, Blake Griffin
Despite not coming into the league until 2013, Detroit Pistons big man Andre Drummond has the second-most rebounds in the NBA since 2010-11. He has led the NBA in rebounds three times, twice earning All-Star considerations. Drummond has been consistent in his role and despite the team not being much of a contender, he has made his presence felt day in and day out.
Golden State Warriors: Stephen Curry
(Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)
Honorable Mentions: Klay Thompson, Kevin Durant
The things that Golden State Warriors superstar Stephen Curry was able to accomplish during the 2010s were almost laughable. He was a back-to-back NBA MVP who won the championship three times. Curry led the Warriors to an unbelievable 73-9 regular season while topping the league in scoring and in steals in 2016 as well. He also connected on 3.8 three-pointers per game, which is 0.9 more than the next-best player during the decade. Curry has clearly redefined the way the game is played and is a generational talent unlike any we have ever seen step foot on a basketball court.
Houston Rockets: James Harden
(Photo by Bill Baptist/NBAE via Getty Images)
Honorable Mentions: Dwight Howard, Clint Capela
There has been no trade recently that changed the league quite like the one that sent the 2012 Sixth Man of the Year winner James Harden from the Oklahoma City Thunder to the Houston Rockets. He has been an All-Star every year for Houston and led the league in assists 2017. The guard then led the league in scoring in 2018 as the NBA MVP and then again in 2019. Harden has put up an absurd 29.6 points with 6.0 rebounds and 7.7 assists for the Rockets. In an age of analytics, he has been the darling for general manager Daryl Morey.
Indiana Pacers: Paul George
(Photo by Ron Hoskins/NBAE via Getty Images)
Honorable Mentions: David West, George Hill
Former Indiana Pacers wing Paul George was a four-time All-Star with the franchise, winning NBA’s Most Improved Player in 2013. The two-way star also received All-Defensive team honors three times while with the team. He averaged 18.1 points, 6.3 rebounds and 1.7 steals per game for Indiana during his team with the Pacers. One of the other best factors about George is that his trade allowed Indiana’s front office to acquire two-time All-Star Victor Oladipo and potential first-time All-Star big man Domantis Sabonis.
LA Clippers: Chris Paul
(Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)
Honorable Mentions: Blake Griffin, DeAndre Jordan
Before there was Kawhi Leonard and Paul George on the Clippers, there was Lob City. None of the success happening for the franchise now would be possible if it weren’t for Chris Paul and Blake Griffin. The tide was turning when Griffin was drafted in 2009 and won Rookie of the Year in 2011. But it was solidified when they traded for CP3 in December 2011. Paul averaged an impressive 18.8 points and 9.8 assists with 2.2 steals per game when he was a member of the Clippers. He made the All-Star team five times in Los Angeles and twice led the NBA in assists during that time.
Los Angeles Lakers: Kobe Bryant
(Photo credit should read FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP via Getty Images)
Honorable Mentions: Pau Gasol, LeBron James
Unlike with Nowitzki, the peak accomplishments for Kobe Bryant occurred before 2010. But even during this decade, he added another NBA title to his arsenal and an All-Star appearance each year before retiring in 2016. Bryant averaged 24.2 points per game for the Lakers starting in 2010-11, which was above average for someone who was his age. Of course, there was little more memorable than Bryant scoring 60 points in his final professional game.
MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES: MARC GASOL
(Photo by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images)
Honorable Mentions: Mike Conley, Zach Randolph
Former Memphis Grizzlies big man Marc Gasol averaged 15.7 points, 7.6 rebounds and 3.8 assists during his time with the Grizzlies this decade. He made three All-Star appearances while a member of the franchise, winning Defensive Player of the Year in 2013. The center was a fixture for Memphis, making the playoffs six times with the Grizzlies. Gasol, a World Cup winner with Spain, eventually won his first NBA title in 2019 with the Toronto Raptors after a midseason trade.
Miami Heat: Dwyane Wade
(Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Honorable Mentions: LeBron James, Chris Bosh
While it was obvious that James was the best player on the team, none of The Big 3 era Miami Heat would have been possible if it were not for Dwyane Wade. He was the instrumental player recruiting both James and Chris Bosh to Miami and even gave up more money in the process to allow it to happen. Wade also sacrificed his role as the key star to make room for more touches to both James and Bosh. This led to two more NBA Finals wins for Wade and All-Star appearances between 2010 and 2016. He was also able to come back to the Heat and retire with the franchise.
Milwaukee Bucks: Giannis Antetokounmpo
(Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)
Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo has been one of the most dominant basketball players in recent memory. He has averaged 19.5 points, 8.6 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.2 steals per game since entering the league. After winning the NBA MVP in 2019, he has followed up with an equally impressive season so far this year. His play has been so sharp that one of the league’s most pressing questions, even now a year and a half away from his eligibility, is what will he decide to do as an upcoming free agent.
Minnesota Timberwolves: Karl-Anthony Towns
(Photo by David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images)
Honorable Mentions: Kevin Love, Andrew Wiggins
After trading away Kevin Love to the Cleveland Cavaliers during the 2014 offseason, the Minnesota Timberwolves were able to bounce back in some ways by grabbing No. 1 overall pick Karl-Anthony Towns. He has played the part of one of the elite big men in the NBA, averaging 22.5 points and 11.8 rebounds per game since entering the pros. Towns has also made 39.6 percent of his three-point attempts, showing his versatility as an offensive force.
New Orleans Pelicans: Anthony Davis
(Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)
Honorable Mentions: Jrue Holiday, Ryan Anderson
His exit may have left a sour taste in the mouth of the New Orleans Pelicans, but Anthony Davis was absolutely stellar during his time with the team. He averaged 23.7 points and 10.5 rebounds per game and also led the league in blocks three times. Davis was a six-time All-Star for the Pelicans and while he now plays for the Los Angeles Lakers, his return will leave New Orleans in a fine place for the upcoming decade. Not only did the front office get an unreal surplus of draft picks in the deal but Brandon Ingram is playing like a potential superstar.
New York Knicks: Carmelo Anthony
(Photo by Jennifer Pottheiser/NBAE via Getty Images)
It was a relatively underwhelming decade for the New York Knicks under team owner James Dolan. The front office mortgaged quite a bit of their future to secure Carmelo Anthony via trade in 2011 despite knowing that the star would become a free agent that offseason. As such, the team was a bit of a one-man show under his leadership. He averaged 24.7 points as well as 7.0 rebounds per game on the Knicks, eventually leaving in 2017.
Oklahoma City Thunder: Kevin Durant
(Photo by Layne Murdoch/NBAE via Getty Images)
Honorable Mentions: Russell Westbrook, Serge Ibaka
The Oklahoma City Thunder somehow drafted three MVP winners who all hit their primes during the 2010s. While none of them is still with the team, the one who made the biggest splash was Kevin Durant. The former No. 2 overall pick put up 28.6 points, 7.6 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game while also shooting 38.6 percent from three-point range. Even though point guard Russell Westbrook was the player who had the longest tenure with the team, it was obvious that Oklahoma City was the most successful version of itself with Durant on the roster.
Orlando Magic: Nikola Vucevic
(Photo by Fernando Medina/NBAE via Getty Images)
Honorable Mentions: Dwight Howard, Evan Fournier
Orlando Magic big man Nikola Vucevic might be the most underrated NBA player of the decade. He made just one All-Star appearance, finally earning the love last season. While he originally started his career in Philadelphia, he has found a niche in Orlando. The former No. 16 overall pick has averaged 16.8 points and 10.7 rebounds per game for the Magic.
Philadelphia 76ers: Joel Embiid
(Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)
Honorable Mentions: Ben Simmons, Thaddeus Young
His career may have started off defined by injury but since he has become a healthier player, there have been few with a higher ceiling than Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid. The big man has scored 24.2 points and pulled down 11.6 rebounds per game. He made the NBA All-Rookie First Team his first year in the league back in 2017. He has made the All-Star team, All-NBA Second Team and All-Defensive Second Team in both years since.
Phoenix Suns: Devin Booker
(Photo by Barry Gossage NBAE via Getty Images)
Honorable Mentions: Goran Dragic, PJ Tucker
The Phoenix Suns have not had a decade many fans will want to look back on with fond memories. But the one takeaway is that there is at least some hope for the future due to the scoring punch of Devin Booker. He has been able to put up 21.7 points and 4.5 assists per game since he entered the NBA just two days before his 19th birthday. Booker put up 70 points back in March 2017 and at just 20 years old, he was the youngest player to put up 60 points in an NBA game. Back in March 2019, Booker had three games in a row where he scored at least 48 points.
Portland Trail Blazers: Damian Lillard
(Photo by Sam Forencich/NBAE via Getty Images)
Honorable Mentions: LaMarcus Aldridge, CJ McCollum
There are few players in NBA history who have embraced their team’s city quite like Trail Blazers star has welcomed Portland into his life. After he was drafted No. 6 overall in 2012, he has turned his the Blazers into one of the most consistent contenders in the league. Lillard, who won Rookie of the Year his first season in the pros, is a four-time All-Star. He was honored with All-NBA 1st Team consideration in 2018 and led Portland to the Western Conference Finals in 2019. He has averaged 23.7 points and 6.4 assists per game for the Trail Blazers during his professional career thus far.
Sacramento Kings: DeMarcus Cousins
(Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images)
Honorable Mentions: Isaiah Thomas, Rudy Gay
While the Sacramento Kings had a disappointing decade in many ways, their most feared player during the 2010s was undeniably DeMarcus Cousins. He was a force to be reckoned with on the Kings, averaging 21.1 points and 10.8 rebounds per game. He earned All-Rookie First Team honors in 2011 and he then took home All-NBA 2nd Team in 2015 and 2016. The big man was also disciplined and suspended a bit too often for comfort during his time on the Kings, eventually leading to an inevitable divorce of the two parties.
San Antonio Spurs: Kawhi Leonard
SAN ANTONIO, TX – (Photo byJoe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images)
Honorable Mentions: Tim Duncan, Tony Parker
When he won NBA Finals MVP in 2014, it was clear that former No. 15 overall pick Kawhi Leonard was a special player in this league. But he was able to take his game to the next level during his time with the San Antonio Spurs, also winning back-to-back Defensive Player of the Year awards for his efforts in 2015 and 2016. Leonard, who led the league in steals in 2015, also came into his own on the offensive side of the floor while before his time in San Antonio came to a surprisingly ugly close that kept him sidelined for the majority of 2017-18.
Toronto Raptors: Kyle Lowry
(Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images)
Honorable Mentions: DeMar DeRozan, Kawhi Leonard
While it was Leonard who was the undisputed best player of the team that won the Toronto Raptors their first NBA championship, veteran point guard Kyle Lowry was the heart and soul of the squad. After the team traded away his longtime teammate DeMar DeRozan during the 2018 offseason, the year was inevitably going to be an emotional rollercoaster for Lowry. But for him to respond by helping Toronto finally carry the Larry O’Brien trophy was an effort that solidified his place as the Player of the Decade for the Raptors.
Utah Jazz: Rudy Gobert
(Photo by Melissa Majchrzak/NBAE via Getty Images)
Honorable Mentions: Gordon Hayward, Derrick Favors
If general fans valued defense the same way they value offense, Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert would be considered one of the Top 10 players in the NBA. After he led the league in blocks back in 2017, the French big went on to win Defensive Player of the Year in 2018 and in 2019. Gobert has actually averaged 2.2 blocks per game since entering the league in 2013. He has also pulled down 10.8 rebounds per game and has connected on 63.4 percent of his total field goal attempts.
Washington Wizards: John Wall
(Photo by Ned Dishman/NBAE via Getty Images)
Honorable Mentions: Bradley Beal, Marcin Gortat
Before his recent injury trouble, Washington Wizards point guard John Wall was an electrifying player. He has averaged 19.0 points and 9.2 assists for the Wizards since going No. 1 overall in the 2010 NBA draft. He made the All-Star team from 2014 until 2018, also grabbing All-Defensive 2nd Team honors in 2015 and All-NBA 3rd Team in 2017. Wall has averaged 1.7 steals per game, too, showing he can be a defensive stopper. Now he is on a tough contract, though he initially earned it with his previously fantastic play.
The reigning MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo welcomes LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers to Milwaukee on Thursday night.
Perhaps it was meant to be that both the Los Angeles Lakers and Milwaukee Bucks are entering Thursday night off of a loss as the two teams should be as hungry as possible when they face off for what could be an NBA Finals preview at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee.
The Lakers haven’t had a matchup of this magnitude since opening night against the Clippers but the Bucks are much more comfortable in this spot, especially on their homecourt. It was less than two weeks ago when the Clippers, with both Paul George and Kawhi Leonard, got run out of the gym by the Bucks. Giannis had 27 points and 11 rebounds while the Bucks made 14 3-pointers on the night while holding George and Leonard to just 10 for 26 shooting.
One of the big questions facing the Lakers in this game is whether they will have their scoring power fully operational. Anthony Davis is considered day-to-day with a sprained ankle and his back-up Kyle Kuzma has missed the last four games with an ankle injury as well.
Of course, the Lakers still have LeBron James and some good shooters around him. And speaking of shooting, the Lakers haven’t really done that in their last two games as they’ve failed to crack 30 percent on 3-pointers in each of the last two games. Percentages suggest that should turn around but the Lakers have won plenty despite not being a great 3-point shooting team. As great as James is, the Lakers have arguably been the best team in the league with both him and Davis. So should Davis miss this, it might take some air out of the matchup.
But considering Davis plays through a lot and just had three days off, it’s likely the Lakers and Bucks give fans what they want with a potential NBA Finals preview a week before Christmas.
Nevertheless, the battle of MVPs past and present will be the dominant theme. In 18 meetings, LeBron leads Giannis 14-4 but the 2019 MVP has a little momentum in the matchup, winning two of the last three meetings.
The game will be televised nationally on TNT and it will also be shown locally in L.A. on Spectrum SportsNet.
Watch the Milwaukee Bucks Live Online this season.
All Giannis, all the time. That’s what life is like in Milwaukee these days as the Bucks have become a must-see attraction in not just the NBA, but the world of sports. That’s how big of an impact the “Greek Freak” has had since his emergence as the top player in the league. The reigning NBA Most Valuable Player carried his team to the Eastern Conference Finals last season. This season, the Bucks are looking to take it one step further by bringing a championship back to the Cream City for the first time since 1971.
Watch the Milwaukee Bucks 2019-20 Season
Next game: vs. Chicago Bulls, Nov. 14, 8:00 p.m. ET
Local TV affiliate for the season: FOX Sports Wisconsin
Streaming option for the season: fuboTV (watch for free)
It doesn’t appear as if the league has found a way to stop Giannis yet. After dominating the regular season in 2018-19, the 24-year-old superstar has picked up right where left off. He is among the top five in the league in both scoring and rebounding through the first 10 games of the season. His extraordinary exploits have led to the Bucks once again being considered among the favorites in the East.
While Giannis will certainly get most of the attention, the Bucks wouldn’t be in the position that they are without a great supporting cast. Milwaukee’s four other starters also average double-digits in scoring, led by forward Khris Middleton, who has emerged as a very valuable asset by Giannis’ side. Throw in the likes of Eric Bledsoe and Brook Lopez, along with veteran sharpshooter Kyle Korver off the bench and there’s no reason not to expect the Bucks to be contending for a title come the spring.
Bucks November 2019 Schedule
All Times ET
Thu. Nov. 14 vs. Bulls, 8:00 PM
Sat. Nov. 16 @ Pacers, 7:00 PM
Mon. Nov. 18 @ Bulls, 8:00 PM
Wed. Nov. 20 @ Hawks, 7:30 PM
Thu. Nov. 21 vs. Trail Blazers, 8:00 PM
Sat. Nov. 23 vs. Pistons, 8:30 PM
Mon. Nov. 25 vs. Jazz, 8:00 PM
Wed. Nov. 27 vs. Hawks, 8:00 PM
Fri. Nov. 29 @ Cavaliers, 7:30 PM
Sat. Nov. 30 vs. Bobcats 8:00 PM
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PASS. The Bucks (-770) are overwhelming favorites for this one, and while they’re expected to win, it will be interesting to see how they adjust to life without Middleton for a few weeks. The Bulls (+525) look to spring the upset, but they still have to contend with defending MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, and that’s no easy feat.
New to sports betting? Every $1 wagered that Milwaukee wins profits $0.13 if the Bucks prevail. (Ex: Bet $10 to win $1.30, $20 to win $2.60, $77 to win $10).
I am ‘bullish’ on the visiting BULLS (+12.5, –125), who are 4-1 ATS in their past five trips to Cream City. The road team is also 10-1 ATS in the past 11 meetings in this series, a trend also pointing to Chicago.
The Bulls are just 2-5 ATS in the past seven on the road, and they’re 1-8 ATS in the past nine Central Division battles. The Bucks are 3-9 ATS in the past 12 when allowing 100 points or more in their previous game. And, remember the Middleton factor.
The UNDER 232.5 (-115) is worth a look, going 4-1 in Chicago’s past five road outings, and seven of their past 10 Central Division battles. The under is 7-0 in Milwaukee’s past seven when working on three or more days of rest, too.
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