The Los Angeles Lakers are coming off a blowout 39-point loss to the Houston Rockets on Wednesday night. Head coach Luke Walton called out his team’s effort after the loss and tonight they have a chance to correct it as they take on the visiting Milwaukee Bucks. Check out our game recap.
1st Quarter
The Lakers started the game with a lineup of Jordan Clarkson, Nick Young, Brandon Ingram, Julius Randle, and Ivica Zubac. The Bucks countered with Malcolm Brogdon, Tony Snell, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton, and Thon Maker.
The Bucks started the game quickly as Antetokounmpo scored two easy baskets but Young got the Lakers on the board with a three-pointer and a layup to give the Lakers the early lead. Middleton got in on the action when he scored his first bucket of the night, a midrange jumper.
Young once again scored when he drove the ball straight to the basket delivered a rather impressive slam dunk to get his teammates and fans on their feet. Tony Snell showed off his range when he drilled a long three-pointer to tie the game. He then got an and-one opportunity when he beat his man and Antetokounmpo found him underneath the basket for a layup.
After the Bucks scored a couple of baskets to regain the lead, Ingram connected on a three-pointer to tie the game with four minutes left to play. D’Angelo Russell entered the game and immediately showed his scoring prowess by making a long two-point jumper. Coming out of a timeout, Zubac scored his fourth basket of the night by drilling a jumper off of the inbound pass.
Before the quarter ended the Bucks went on a little run take a seven-point lead. The Lakers allowed Milwaukee to shoot 57 percent from the field. At the end of the first quarter the Lakers trail, 31-24.
2nd Quarter
The Lakers started the quarter with two baskets as Larry Nance Jr. scored easy layups, but Jason Terry responded with a three-pointer on the ensuing possession. After Mirza Teletovic drilled a long three-point shot, Russell countered with one of his own as the shot clock expired to bring th Lakers within four points.
Los Angeles struggled the next few minutes as the Bucks took advantage and extend their lead to 12, their biggest of the game. Clarkson finally ended the Lakers dry spell when he connected a three-pointer. Middleton once again responded with a jumper of his own, which forced a Lakers timeout midway through the quarter.
After the timeout Middle scored a 17-foot jumper to give him 13 points on the evening. Russell scored his second three-pointer of the night on the ensuing possession to bring the Lakers within ten points. A pair of free throws by Antetokounmpo and another basket by Middleton gave the Bucks a 15-point lead with three minutes left to play in the second quarter.
Young drilled another three-pointer for the Lakers to give 10 points, tied for most on the team. Randel showed off his versatility when he dribbled the ball down the court and found a trailing Zubac for a slam dunk to cut the Lakers deficit to 12 points.
The Lakers defense still could not slow down the Bucks offense as they have surrendered 32 points in the paint so far. The Lakers at halftime, 61-46.
3rd Quarter
Ingram got the second half started by knocking down a midrange jumper, but Antetokounmpo scored the next five point to extend the Bucks lead to 18 points. The next few minuted were the Giannis Antetokounmpo show as he showed his versatility. He drilled a three-pointer and guided over two defenders for a layup that prompted Luke Walton to call a timeout.
With the Bucks up 18 points Young drilled another three-pointer, which gives him three of the Lakers seven three-point makes. On the next Bucks possession, Antetokounmpo connected on another two-point shot.
Russell converted a three-point play when made a close shot that he got fouled on. After Matthew Dellavedova scored an easy layup, Nance Jr. found a wide open Young for another three-pointer. On the next Los Angeles possession, Nance Jr. converted an and-one to cut the Lakers deficit to eight points.
Things got a little chippy as the quarter came to a close. As the Lakers were running a fast break, Young was fouled hard by Brogdon and took exception by shoving him. Greg Monroe then came and pushed Young, which prompted players from both teams to separated one another. After the referees gathered and discussed the situation, they concluded that Young, Russell, and Monroe were ejected from the game. Young and Monroe picked up double technical fouls while Young picked up his second after getting his first earlier in the game.
Jordan Clarkson drilled a three-pointer with one second remaining in the quarter to bring the Lakers within seven points. The Lakers trail after the third quarter, 84-77.
4th Quarter
David Nwaba made his presence known on their first play of the quarter when he there down a thunderous dunk to bring Los Angeles within five points. On the ensuing Bucks possession, Middleton knocked down a midrange jumper.
After Middleton converted a three-point play, Ingram drove the ball and scored a difficult layup. With the Lakers down 10 points, Antetokounmpo converted another three-point play to extend the Bucks lead. On the next Lakers possession, Clarkson scored on a floater to give him 13 points on the night.
Ingram brought Los Angeles within nine points when he slammed a one-handed jam that got the fans on their feet. The Lakers used a 13-3 run that included another Nwaba dunk, which he was fouled on but could not convert the free throw. They had a chance to cut the deficit to three but Clarkson missed a three-point attempt. Clarkson made a three-pointer with a couple of seconds remaining but Middleton made a pair of free throws on the other end to secure the Bucks victory.
Antetokounmpo and Middleton carried the Bucks as they both scored when the Lakers inched closer. They finished for a combined 56 points. The Lakers had no answer for either of them. The Lakers lose to the Bucks, 107-103.
