Giannis Antetokounmpo and Luka Dončić will square off at Crypto.com Arena on Friday.
The Los Angeles Lakers (23-12, 4th in Western Conference) host the Milwaukee Bucks (16-21, 11th in Eastern Conference) on Friday at Crypto.com Arena.
Both teams were idle on Thursday and are looking to get back in the win column after taking defeats Wednesday night. The Bucks are coming off a 120-113 loss to the Golden State Warriors, which snapped a brief two-game winning run for Milwaukee. Meanwhile, the Lakers saw their three-game winning streak end in a tough 107-91 defeat against the San Antonio Spurs, the third-best team in the Western Conference. Both teams have gone 3-2 in their last five games.
Here are three key storylines to know heading into this matchup on Friday.
- Two of the biggest stars in the NBA will go head-to-head: It’s hard to envision much more elite star power in one game than this one with Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo and Los Angeles’ Luka Dončić taking the floor. Dončić will lead the Lakers in an attempt to get back to winning ways following the loss to the Spurs, and Antetokounmpo will do the same after Wednesday’s loss to the Warriors. He has been nearly unstoppable this season and leads the NBA in scoring (33.7 ppg), while Antetokounmpo is at 29.5 ppg. Don’t be surprised if both players are matched up head-to-head defensively at times, in what should be a spectacle to see these two superstars prevail in an individual duel.
- LeBron James’ new role: LeBron James is still defying Father Time and he continues to be an elite all-around weapon who’s ready to contribute. While he’s no longer the go-to scoring option for the Lakers, James is adjusting well to his different role. He still impacts the game as a secondary option, but has sizzled of late, posting 25.9 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 6.1 apg and 1.3 spg in his last 10 games. James’ status will be monitored leading up to tip-off as he’s listed as a game-time decision.
- Efficiency is the name of the game for both teams: The Lakers and Bucks share one particular trait in their offensive schemes: efficiency. Entering Friday, the Lakers are second-best in field-goal percentage (49.8%), trailing only the Denver Nuggets. The Bucks rank fourth (and first in the East) in shooting at 48.6%. The Bucks are particularly dangerous from the 3-point line, with their 39.6% ranking second in the NBA, while the Lakers rank 27th (33.9%). Both teams rank in the middle of the pack in terms of defensive rating (Bucks are 18th and Lakers are 21st), so this game may boil down to which team can get its opponent out of rhythm on offense.
