Preview: Blazers versus Bucks

After a few days off and a four game losing streak the 20-19 Blazers look to face off against the 20-18 Bucks, who won their last game against the Suns. Both teams come in after some time off, and are relatively evenly matched on both sides of the ball (The Blazers have slightly worse points allowed and slightly better points scored). Brandon Jennings has been on a roll though, enough so that he was handed out an Eastern Conference Player of the Week Award. When he plays well, this Bucks team seems to win. There shouldn’t be any surprises to this game, just hoping that our starters can beat their starters and bench. I also don’t have any jokes, something about the Bucks makes me forget.

Tonight, I’m hoping for a bounce-back effort from Lillard, who was been averaging 12.7 points per game in the last three losses. If he can return to form, it should lessen the scoring load placed onto the other four starters. LaMarcus Aldridge, in particular, is balling hard right now, putting up 25 and 10 over the last three. Monta Ellis has been supplementing Jennings’ play and chipping in about 18 per game. The Bucks big man, Larry Sanders, currently plays blocking machine, averaging a league high 3.2 on the season, which could give fits to J.J. Hickson as he battles for those easy put-backs.

Stats for Stats Sake:

Portland Points Per Game: 96.9 (14th) Milwaukee Points Per Game: 96.3 (16th)

Portland Points Allowed: 99.0 (20th) Milwaukee Points Allowed: 97.4 (16th)

Damian Lillard Points versus East: 16.3

Brandon Jennings Points versus West: 19.7

Starters:

Milwaukee: Monta Ellis (PG), Branding Jennings (SG), Luc Richard Mbah a Moute (SF), Ersan Illyasova (PF), Larry Sanders (C)

Portland: Damian Lillard (PG), Wesley Matthews (SG), Nicolas Batum (SF), LaMarcus Aldridge (PF), J.J. Hickson (C)

Possible Headlines:

Bucks and Blazers too evenly matched and bore people to death

Blazers tan Bucks’ hides

Bucks gore Blazers