Matchup No. 3: Lonzo Ball vs Tyler Ulis, Mike James
Lonzo Ball has had a target on his back all season and will continue to have one throughout his playing days. It is not self-inflicted, but it is something he will have to deal with. The matchups have been difficult as well, as Ball has faced an upper-echelon point guard on an almost nightly basis. With Bledsoe in Milwaukee, that will not be the case tonight.
Tonight will be, by far, the easiest matchup Ball has had, which makes this a matchup to keep an eye on. Ball’s shooting percentages have been a topic of discussion, but his best scoring night this season came against the Suns in Game 2. Ball is coming into this game with some momentum as well, as he became the youngest player in NBA history to record a triple-double in his last game.
Coincidentally, that also came against Bledsoe, someone who is regarded as a top defensive point guard in the NBA. Tyler Ulis and Mike James do not carry that distinction, so it will be interesting to see how Ball performs tonight.
Ball has a huge size advantage over both Ulis and James. Ball is listed at 6-feet-6 inches, while Ulis is 5-feet-10 inches tall and James is 6-foot-1. Both have played well in their own right this season, but aren’t great defenders. Ulis has a defensive rating of 108.7 this season according to NBA.com, while James is at 108.6.
Next: Lakers vs Bucks: 3 Takeaways From The Game
This could be the best matchup that Ball has this season. Ulis and James will do their best to not end up on Ball’s highlight reel, but this is as good an opportunity of any for Ball to put together his second consecutive strong game.