The Bucks fought to a thrilling victory over a western conference team a couple days ago. Will they be able to be do it again tonight? Well, it’s definitely going to be a more difficult task, as the Los Angeles Clippers make their way to the Bradley Center for their first and only matchup in Milwaukee this season.
It will be a juxtaposition matchup between the veterans of the Clippers and the youth of the Bucks. This will be a key test for the green and growing Bucks team, as the Clippers are in the elite standard of the NBA. Certain matchups at points of the games will be intriguing to watch, such as Michael Carter-Williams guarding Chris Paul. Or will Kidd continue to ride the O.J. Mayo point guard ride? The latter is the more likely of the two to occur, but expect to see MCW guarding Paul at points tonight to try and stop him with his size.
photo: Jeff Hanisch, USA Today Sports
The sharp shooting of the Clippers team may be something the Bucks need to pay attention. Both Paul and Redick have the ability to make runs out of thin air with their deep range. Milwaukee will need to assert concentration on the perimeter and hone in on any patterns they pick up of the Clippers’ tendencies throughout the game.
One thing that the Clippers boast on offense is a consistency on making shots. They currently sit at 45.8 percent on their field goal percentage this season, which ranks as fifth in the NBA. That being said, the Bucks need to make it a goal of theirs to eliminate any second chance opportunities. With rebounding machines Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan downstairs, defensive rebounding is a must for the Bucks. Give the Clippers multiple opportunities on the offensive end and it won’t be a pretty outcome.
Over the last handful of games, both an improvement on defense and level scoring throughout the starting lineup have rewarded the Bucks with victories. The same efforts in those categories will be necessary if a similar outcome wants to be achieved tonight. The Clippers are no easy team to beat, and it will be an even more strenuous task if the offense isn’t producing at a high level.
It will be an exciting night at the Bradley Center tonight, as the Bucks are debuting their first ever “Fear The Deer” night. The Bucks will be wearing alternate jerseys and also be playing on an alternate court. Milwaukee has had success against the Clippers in the Bradley Center in recent memory, as the Bucks have won four of the last six matchups played there. If everything goes according to plan, that success will continue.