In the LeBron James era, there always seems to be something important at stake when these teams meet, whether it’s hype, legitimacy or something more difficult to describe.
MILWAUKEE — If you’ve never been to the Calderone Club, surely you’ve been to an Italian restaurant like it.
It’s a low-lit room with white tablecloths and friendly, familiar waitstaff who carry over bottles of wine and heaping portions of pasta and pizza. And for Lakers coach Darvin Ham, it’s a sure stop in the city where he both played and coached for some of the most memorable Bucks teams. Midwestern charm helps get folks through the winter – as does the hearty penne con salsiccia, which Ham imagined with a hazy, distant look as he thought ahead to the team’s trip there this weekend.
“That’s a wonderful city,” he said. “They’ve always shown me love. Made me feel super-duper welcome. It reminds me a lot of home, of Michigan. I’m a Midwest kid. So I’m looking forward to it.”Midwestern hospitality is unlikely to be on the menu when the Lakers step into Fiserv Forum on Friday night.
On paper, the Lakers will have a hard time keeping up: Milwaukee boasts the league’s best defense and the Lakers have had a hard time shooting consistently this season . Adding to that mix is the season debut of Khris Middleton, the three-time All-Star and versatile scorer who will make life tougher on the wings – where the Lakers still are unsure if Troy Brown Jr. or Lonnie Walker IV will play.
But while this matchup comes just twice a year, there always seems to be something important at stake when the Lakers and Bucks meet in the LeBron James era, whether it’s hype, legitimacy or something more difficult to describe.
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