The
no need for motivational speeches or extra energy drinks on Friday
overnight at Staples Center.
The top two NBA teams, the Los Angeles Lakers and the Milwaukee Bucks, will meet on the field in a potential preview of the NBA Finals which, for many, is already a foregone conclusion.
The Bucks have the best defending NBA player at Giannis Antetokounmpo and hold the best league record with 53-9. Since losing to the eventual Raptor champion in the Eastern Conference finals last season, Milwaukee has been on a mission to win the championship.
Reigning NBA champion Toronto Raptors would like to remind everyone that they are still the champions and currently hold the second best record in the Eastern Conference. However, after the departures of Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green, it is doubtful that Toronto, or any other team of the Eastern Conference, derail the irremovable train which is the motivated Bucks.
First and foremost, the Bucks have a revamped roster full of deep and perimeter shooting that makes it a game nightmare for any NBA team. The additions of Wesley Matthews, Kyle Korver, Robin Lopez and Marvin Williams combined with the rise of Khris Middleton, means that Milwaukee no longer has to rely solely on one player offensively.
While most of the NBA has focused on the Western Conference and the Battle of Los Angeles between the Lakers and the Clippers, the Bucks have quietly become one of the best teams of the decade, and should only become the third NBA history team to reach 70 wins. For many, their path to the final seems almost inevitable at this point.
Meanwhile,
the Western Conference doesn’t seem to be as much of a team demolition team
as is. The Lakers currently hold the conference best record at 47-13,
but they are only five games ahead of the Clippers, and have one of the most
difficult hours the rest of the season.
the
Houston Rockets has been one of the best teams in the Western Conference since
the All-Star Break because they revolutionize the game with their unprecedented
commitment to the little ball.
In
In addition to the Rockets, a few other teams may have something to say about
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s two teams meet in the NBA
Finals.
A
team in particular, who also resides inside the Staples Center certainly has
something to say about the Lakers already punching their ticket for the
Championship. L.A. Clippers are unbeaten against the lake
season, and even if they may not have the best conference record,
they have been playing possum for months.
The Clippers have focused on health and have regularly rested Kawhi Leonard and Paul George throughout the season. When the All-Star duo is at full power, we’ve seen how dominant they can be, including recent victories against the Sixers and Rockets. The Lakers will see for themselves when they face off against their downtown rivals for the third time this season on Sunday.
however,
if you ask many superstar players in the league, they believe that
Friday’s game in Los Angeles is definitely a preview of the NBA Finals.
“Yes
I had to choose right now, it would be the Lakers and Milwaukee, “said
Golden State Warriors, shooting guard Steph Curry, recently interviewed about the
Podcast “All the Smoke” he thought was in the final this
season. “Just because they play the best right now. And I would
watch all the games in this series. “
Yes
Giannis is the current favorite to repeat as an NBA MVP this season, that LeBron
James is right behind. Lakers also potentially have defensive player
of the year on their list at Anthony Davis, a combination that could prove
be unstoppable for any team after the playoffs.
Davis
was recovering from a sprained right ankle the first time the Bucks and Lakers
met in Milwaukee in December. The Bucks won decisively that night, 111-104. In
for the Lakers to beat the Bucks, they will need Davis to close
Giannis face to face, allowing the remaining defenders to protect the perimeter
and do not allow wide open shots.
Davis
carried most of the score load in this game, finishing with 34 points, but
lately, LeBron James has been carrying the charge offensively,
especially at the end of the game. Find LeBron as close as possible to resume the game
the fourth quarter, especially if Davis is kept by Giannis.
the
The Bucks have won the last six head-to-head against the Lakers, with
L.A’s last Deer win to come in February 2017, over three years
since.
So if this is a potential preview of the NBA Finals, the Lakers will have to show something on Friday to make sure it’s not an unbalanced battle in June.
