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Defending champions LA Lakers dominated Eastern Conference heavyweight Milwaukee Bucks in a thrilling battle that ended 113-106 at the Fiserv Forum.
In a game that stayed close until the end, LA Lakers were able to make the big buckets down the stretch and ultimately escape with a win. The visiting team were led offensively by LeBron James and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, who were lights out from three-point range tonight.
The Milwaukee Bucks showed great heart and nearly completed an impressive comeback toward the end of the fourth quarter. This comeback was nullified, of course, by a LeBron James takeover who put the final nail in the coffin with a dagger three.
King James finished with a season-high 34 points, and the LA Lakers improved to 12-4 on the year with the victory. This is also their 8th straight win on the road this season. The Milwaukee Bucks are now 9-6 overall after back-to-back losses, and will need to regroup with a few days off before they take on the Atlanta Hawks on Sunday.
Now, let's take a look at the biggest hits and flops from the LA Lakers victory
Hit: LeBron James (LA Lakers)
LeBron James was in his bag tonight, there's no doubt about it. From beginning to end, 2019-20 Finals MVP had a certain confidence to his body language tonight that could not be ignored.
LeBron James is shooting a phenomenal 37.5% from three this season, and it was not surprising to see him get hot in the second half from the 3-point line. James finished the game with 6 three-pointers on 10 attempts, shooting 13 of 25 overall from the field.
On a night when LA Lakers needed their superstars to stand up, LeBron James produced his best performance of the season. In the end, he finished the game with 34 points, 8 assists and 6 rebounds.
It was the LeBron James show tonight, and the king was not going to be denied.
Flop: Giannis Antetokounmpo (Milwaukee Bucks)
Giannis Antetokounmpo, despite scoring 25 points tonight, will want to put this game behind him as soon as possible. The Greek Freak fouled out of the game in the fourth quarter, but not before conceding nine turnovers. That's right, 9 of the Milwaukee Bucks' 14 team turnovers were due to their superstar.
Antetokounmpo seemed out of rhythm all night and his decision-making was questionable in many situations. Nonetheless, we all know what an incredible athlete he is and one expects him to come back strong. Unfortunately, Milwaukee Bucks have lost 2 straight games, increasing the urgency of a win even further.
Hit: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (LA Lakers)
If you thought LeBron James was impressive for the LA Lakers from the 3-point line, wait till you hear what Kentavious Caldwell-Pope did. The 27-year-old finished with 23 points largely in part due to his 7 successful 3-point attempts. KCP shoot a ridiculous 70% from behing the arc tonight, taking his season average to 53.7%.
For long periods of the game, it appeared as if Caldwell-Pope seemingly could not miss from the 3-point line, and the LA Lakers built off of his great performance to secure a huge win. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, who averages just over 10 points per game thus far, may have found his stroke tonight against the Milwaukee Bucks.
Flop: Brook Lopez (Milwaukee Bucks)
Brook Lopez had a slow night for the Milwaukee Bucks in the scoring department, mustering up only 13 points on 50% shooting. His paint presence is usually dominant, but seemed virtually non-existent tonight as a number of Lakers got the better of him, in one on one matchups.
At the end of the match, Brook Lopez could register a mere 4 rebounds and had zero assists, finishing with a -12 plus/minus rating tonight. The Milwaukee Bucks typically rely on Lopez to provide offensive and defensive prowess, but on an off night like this, its a surprise they were able to keep the game as close as they did.
Hit: Anthony Davis (LA Lakers)
In a game where LA Lakers didn't necessarily depend on his offensive output, Anthony Davis had a fantastic night on the defensive end. AD essentially shut down Brook Lopez all night, out-rebounding him 9 to 4 while also recording two blocks and one steal.
Anthony Davis finished with 18 points, but his ability to recognize the flow of the game and find the man with the hot hand is just as valuable as scoring. The LA Lakers can take a lot of positives from this game and continue their strong momentum as the best team in the west.
