Lakers vs. Bucks Preview: Winter Has Come

As the Lake Show continues its Grammy road trip, the wheels keep falling off the bus. Today, it was Jordan Hill, who will miss two weeks with a hip injury and joins what seems like half the roster on the IR at this point.

Hill had been playing well, adding a huge 26 point, 12 rebound performance in the win against Chicago to what has easily been his best season as a pro.  Hopefully, Tarik Black will be back to sop up minutes and Ryan Kelly will continue to gain experience in the frontcourt. Jordan Clarkson is set to continue his run as starting point guard, where he has alternatingly shown ample promise and the predictable frustrations of a rookie learning how to play in the NBA. After a DNP-CD coming back from an ankle sprain, Nick Young should also be back in action for the Purple and Gold.

The Lakers face a feisty Bucks team, who is in the midst of a playoff run after a 15 win campaign in 2013-14. Jason Kidd has done a great job of translating young talent and the right veteran role players into a team that should contend in the East for years to come. Although the Bucks sit in the middle of the pack with the Lakers in offensive efficiency, they boast the second most efficient defense in the league (allowing a stingy 98.7 points per 100 possessions).  They have also been surprisingly resilient, overcoming season-ending injuries to ROY favorite Jabari Parker / Kendall Marshall and the inexplicable disappearance of Larry Sanders for personal reasons.

Coming into the game, the Bucks have won four straight and should be heavily favored against the hobbled Laker line-up. Lakers fans should watch for Giannis Antetokounmpo, who continues to be an athletic marvel and promises a nightly highlight reel.

Enjoy the game and hope the Lakers can mimic the turnaround success Kidd and Co are having in Milwaukee.

Time: 5:00 PM PST

Station: TWCSN