Cleveland extended their winning streak to three games with a 109-97 victory over the Indiana Pacers on Saturday, pushing their record back above .500.
Milwaukee has been one of the league's surprise teams this year, but are coming off a blowout loss to the Houston Rockets.
Projected Starting Lineups
Cleveland Cavaliers (8-7)
G Kyrie Irving – 21.1 ppg, 4.9 apg
G Shawn Marion – 5.8 ppg, 3.8 rpg
F LeBron James – 24.9 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 7.2 apg
F Kevin Love – 17.3 ppg, 9.7 rpg
C Anderson Varejao – 10.9 ppg, 6.9 rpg
Milwaukee Bucks (10-8)
G Brandon Knight – 17.0 ppg, 5.9 apg
G O.J. Mayo – 10.8 ppg, 3.2 apg
F Giannis Antetokounmpo – 11.9 ppg, 5.9 rpg
F Jabari Parker - 11.9 ppg, 6.1 rpg
C Larry Sanders - 7.2 ppg, 6.6 rpg
What to watch for:
LeBron vs. The Greek Freak
Antetokounmpo is perhaps the longest player in the league, and that length allows him to defend guys like LeBron James adequately. He obviously isn't close to being as good as LeBron, but he is good enough to cause him problems on both ends of the floor. If the Greek Freak can live up to his nickname and cause James to have an off night, Milwaukee has a chance to win this game.
How does Jabari Parker handle Kevin Love and LeBron?
Parker seems to have broken out of his rookie shell since moving to the small-ball four spot, but he hasn't had to go up against players as good as Kevin Love or LeBron James. His quickness and athleticism will make it hard for Love to defend him, so I expect LeBron to spend some time guarding the rookie as well. Parker is capable of holding his own against the two All-Stars, and if he does, he'll give the Bucks a chance to win.
Prediction: Cavs win 108-101
Milwaukee is a year or two away from being a good team, and their youth will catch up to them in this one. Cleveland will take advantage of the mental lapses the Bucks will have, and while they're good enough to keep the game close, the Cavs will come out with the victory.
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