The London Lions will welcome the Manchester Giants to the Copper Box Arena on Sunday afternoon, as they try to further cement their position atop the British Basketball League tree, heading into the Christmas period.
The Lions enter the game fresh off their marquee victory
over 2nd placed Cheshire Phoenix just two nights prior. London
overcame a 14-point deficit to down the Phoenix, leaving them with an 18-3
record.
Manchester, meanwhile, will travel to the capital in the 8th
spot, with a 6-12 record that they shared with the Surrey Scorchers. It’s been
a season of ups and downs for the Giants, who have found it hard to find
consistency throughout the season. Most recently, they beat a strong Bristol
Flyers side by 23 points and will hope they can carry that form into their
clash with the Champions.
Clear Favourites
Unsurprisingly, the Lions lead their way in points per game,
averaging 93.8, at a clip of 50.1%. The Giants however have only managed 82.5
points per contest, at a rate of 45.4%.
A huge differentiator between the teams is their exterior
shooting; London currently average 39.5% from beyond the arc, while Manchester
have struggled to the tune of 34.5%.
The Lions also move the ball more effectively, which so far
this season has resulted in 24.4 assists per game, while the Giants have
recorded an average of 18.1.
Key Players
Matthew Morgan leads both teams and the league in scoring,
with 20.1 points per game, so will be top of the Giants’ scouting report. They
will also have to look out for reigning British Basketball League Player of the
Year Sam Dekker, who helped inspire Friday’s comeback.
Manchester also offer a significant scoring threat in Jamell
Anderson, who is currently averaging 15.1 points per game. Anderson will depend
on some assistance from Nicholas Lewis, who has scored 14.8 per contest.
In the return fixture back in November, the Lions won by 8-points in Manchester. London were far superior in transition scoring during that game, scoring nine more fast break points. They received way more help from their second unit than Manchester did, outscoring them 27-17 in bench points. Morgan and Lewis went head-to-head, with 32 and 33 points respectively. Fans can expect another showcase of tremendous offensive talent on Sunday afternoon.
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