Published on: Feb 8, 2022 11:53 pm IST|Updated on: Feb 8, 2022 11:53 pm IST
LAL vs MIL Dream11: Here it is! Indeed a big trade as All-Star level guard CJ McCollum has been traded to the New Orleans Pelicans along with Larry Nance Jr., and Tony Snell in exchange for Josh Hart, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Tomas Satoransky, Didi Louzada, 2022 first-round pick(5-14 protected), and two future second-round picks. What a big deal! And surely I think both parties did well here. Anyway, let us now move towards the match-up between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Milwaukee Bucks.
The Lakers have been struggling throughout the season and either remain at the 50% win mark or fall behind it regularly. The team patched up LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and Russell Westbrook, and the system hasn’t suited Westbrook at all so far. Malik Monk has had a huge impact as a two-guard at the scoring end but with Melo out, the bench is in even more dire straits.
On the other hand, the Milwaukee Bucks have done well in their title defense. They have 13 wins more than losses and after a brief tough spell in January, they are back to their winning ways. With Giannis, Middleton, and Jrue, they have been on-song once again and after notching the last three wins away from home, you gotta watch out for this team!
Host: LA Lakers Visitors: Milwaukee Bucks Match Timing: 9 February, @ 08:30 AM Venue: Crypto.com Arena
Lakers: Can they get over the 50% win mark? The Lakers have been not able to get to the 60% win mark since the beginning of the season. Los Angeles Lakers have been severely outhustled during multiple games and they are unable to cope up against elite teams. This has been their biggest disadvantage. They are just unable to beat the top-tier teams and enter as the underdogs when they are up against teams such as Suns, Warriors, Grizzlies, etc. This is why they haven’t been considered a contender for the championship after being slated as the heavy favorites before the season.
I read the Lakers fans community comments and there were some fans who pointed out that this team can be on the wrong side of the activity level and lack young and athletic bodies plus a substantial perimeter defense. They hit the nail right on the head and this has been the trouble for the team despite having a high-quality Forward defender like Anthony Davis, who avoids players blowing by him. LeBron James exerts too much energy on the offensive end and at this point, he can’t be expected to play pesky defense so perhaps a two-way wing like Tate could have helped the matters. I’d argue that Westbrook is someone who needs the control of the team as the prominent ball-handler and I have thought for years that he is not someone who works well in the multiple superstar system, we have the results!
Bucks: Sending warning flares lately! Yes, the Bucks have had some struggles this season and had a tough January, where at one point, they were unable to win even 40% of their games, especially with Holiday out. But now, with Holiday, here they are, winning 70% of their wins and making a lot of noise even away from home. The Bucks won the championship last season and yes, I know Eastern Conference teams like Heat, Cavaliers, Bulls, Sixers look formidable but the Bucks have a special mix and they have a design that works during the Playoffs.
As you see Giannis forcing his way to the basket, see how many defenders he attracts, and then notice how many lanes are open both shooting-wise and driving-wise. When you pair up such a driver to the rim alongside Holiday and Middleton, you are sure to get great results. Both Holiday and Middleton are versatile scorers and they have a leeway to take a lot of shots and can afford to miss as Giannis is high efficiency which doesn’t impact the overall percentage. When you slide in Portis in the middle, you get another versatile scorer, and well despite an on-and-off two-guard position and a so-so bench, the Bucks are a force and they are well set to defend their title.
LA Lakers | Milwaukee Bucks Games: 54| 55 Wins: 26| 34 Defeats: 28| 21
Los Angeles Lakers Team News
Lakers Expected Starting Five
Wings: SF: Stanley Johnson | SF/PF: LeBron James Middle: C: Anthony Davis Guards: SG: Malik Monk | PG: Russell Westbrook
BENCH: Talen Horton-Tucker, Austin Reaves, Trevor Ariza, Deandre Jordan, Wayne Ellington, Kent Bazemore, Dwight Howard.
Milwaukee Bucks Team News:
Bucks Expected Starting Five Wings/Forwards: SF: Khris Middleton | PF: Giannis Antetokounmpo Middle: C: Bobby Portis Guard: SG: Grayson Allen(PROBABLE) | PG: Jrue Holiday
Bench: Semi Ojeleye, Jordan Nwora, Wesley Matthews, Pat Connaughton, Donte DiVincenzo, Langston Galloway, Luke Kornet, JaVonte Smart, Hill, Sandro Mamukelashvili.
Anthony Davis(LAL) Points: 28 Rebounds: 17 Assists: 03 Blocks: 04 Steals: 03 Anthony has certainly bolstered the middle for the Lakers since his return and has done an admirable job of scoring, rebounding, and playing defense. Davis has been in the 27-35 points, 13+ rebounds, and 1-4 blocks/steals range since his return. The rugged big can be selected as a Star/Pro Player in the Dream 11 NBA Fantasy scenario. Expected Fantasy Points Range: 45-59
Giannis Antetkounmpo(MIL) Points: 28 Rebounds: 10 Assists: 05 Blocks: 02 Steals: 01 Power Player Giannis has once again rocked the league with his inside drives and an expanded shooting game on the high post with occasional three-pointers. The all-around Power Forward has scored 26+ points, has clasped 10 or more rebounds, and dished 5 or more assists a game regularly this season. Expected Fantasy Points Range: 45-55
LeBron James(LAL) Points: 29 Rebounds: 13 Assists: 10 Steals: 01 We have come to expect the above statline from LeBron for years now and he is having another MVP-level season. The Forward can be expected to score around 30, grab 7+ rebounds, and 7+ assists a game regularly. Expected Fantasy Points Range: 46-57
Jrue Holiday(MIL) Points: 27 Rebounds: 05 Assists: 13 Steals: 02 Blocks: 01 Jrue has been having a huge impact on the Bucks and since he has been back from injury, the team has been winning a lot more. The Guard has scored 16 or more, has dished 7 assists or more assists while notching 1 or more steals a game regularly. Expected Fantasy Points Range: 33-49
Russell Westbrook(LAL) Points: 05 Rebounds: 04 Assists: 06 Steals: 01 Blocks: 01 Westbrook has been erratic throughout the season and the Lakers system hasn’t suited him well. The Guard has produced so many varied up-and-down statlines, that it is difficult to predict his production these days. Expected Fantasy Points Range: 27-40
Khris Middleton(MIL) Points: 17 Rebounds: 06 Assists: 05 Steals: 01 Khris continues to be a high-quality wing who is a versatile scorer and can also perform a lot of other tasks. The wing has scored 15+ points, grabbed 4 or more rebounds, and dished 3 or more assists on a regular basis. Expected Fantasy Points Range: 28-39
PG: A Reaves SG: M Monk, P Connaughton SF: K Middleton PF: S Johnson, G Antetokounmpo(SP) C: B Portis, A Davis(PP)
A brilliant news for the India-based fans who love the NBA? You can catch this game on streaming services JIO TV and Voot showcase one game per day for fans in India. However, if you want to keep up with the rest of the action in the league, perhaps the best way to access most of the action is by heading to the NBA League Pass. And if you an annual subscription, it helps you to get access to all live games and you can also acquire the full game replay if you can’t catch the live game. To know the scores, stats, and news, visit the official website of the NBA.