Lakers at Bucks
THE STORY: The Los Angeles Lakers have one of the worst road records in the NBA and start a long stretch of away contests when they visit the Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday. The Lakers are just 1-6 on the road and the game against the Bucks begins a nine-game span in which eight of their games are on enemy soil. Los Angeles’ only road win came in overtime against the Utah Jazz on Jan. 11. The Lakers play at Minnesota on Sunday and then return home to face the Charlotte Bobcats on Tuesday before hitting the road again for six games. “It’s a good test for us to go out on the road to see if we can be who we think we are,” said Lakers coach Mike Brown, “which is a very good team whether we’re at home or on the road.” Milwaukee lost at Chicago on Friday to drop to 0-6 when playing without center Andrew Bogut this season. The Bucks are 4-2 at home.
TV: 8:30 p.m. ET, KCAL (Los Angeles), Fox Sports Wisconsin (Milwaukee)
ABOUT THE LAKERS (11-8): Guard Kobe Bryant has a chance to become the franchise’s all-time leader in field goals made and free throws made in the same game. Bryant needs 14 baskets to surpass Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (9,935 field goals) and four free throws to eclipse Jerry West (7,160 free throws) in the respective categories. Bryant is already Los Angeles’ all-time career scoring leader with 28,441 points. Bryant is averaging a league-leading 30.2 points this season.
ABOUT THE BUCKS (7-11): Veteran Drew Gooden has moved into the starting center role with Bogut (ankle) out for 8-to-12 weeks and had a monster game against Chicago with 23 points and registering season-highs for rebounds (15) and assists (six). Gooden was having trouble getting consistent playing time at forward and played fewer than 14 minutes five times in a recent seven-game stretch. But he has started all six games Bogut has missed this season and his only other 20-point game (24 vs. Utah) came when Bogut was away from the team for personal reasons.
BUZZER BEATERS:
1. Los Angeles has won six of the seven meetings with the Bucks, including each of the last three visits to Milwaukee.
2. Lakers forward Pau Gasol has two 20-point outings in the last four games after reaching 20 just twice over the first 15 contests.
3. Bucks guard Brandon Jennings has six consecutive 20-point outing is averaging 25.8 points during that span.