Milwaukee Bucks Edge Los Angeles Lakers In Close 105-101 Finish Behind Giannis Antetokounmpo’s 21 Points
It was a close one in Los Angeles on Friday night as the Milwaukee Bucks were able to pull out a clutch win over the Lakers behind an all-around performance from superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Kevin Porter Jr. Buries Clutch Free Throws to Give Milwaukee the Win
In an exciting back-and-forth in the final minutes that saw the Lakers and Bucks trade clutch buckets, the game ultimately ended with a dud. Bucks Guard Kevin Porter Jr. was the one who played hero for Milwaukee, as he drained two free throws with 16 seconds to give the Bucks a 103-101 lead.
While it wasn’t the most dominant of games for Bucks franchise star Giannis Antetokounmpo, he still finished with a solid stat line overall. The two-time MVP dropped 21 points and grabbed 6 rebounds, while also showing his defensive skills with 2 blocks and 2 steals in the win.
The Bucks also received some much-needed support from their bench unit, with key performances from both Kyle Kuzma and Bobby Portis. The former Laker in Kuzma dropped 13 points, while Portis finished with a solid double-double of 11 points and 12 rebounds in the game.
Lakers Continue to Tumble Down the Standings with Latest Loss
Despite a tremendous performance from both Luka Doncic and LeBron James in the game, the Lakers continued their slide down the Western Conference standings. The Lakers sorely missed key players like Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura, as they had no support outside of their star players yet again.
It was another awful game from Center Deandre Ayton, who continues to struggle to find any level of consistency. The former Arizona Wildcat scored just 4 points and grabbed 5 rebounds in the loss for the Lakers. This loss represented the second-straight loss for the purple and gold, which now moves them to two games behind the Minnesota Timberwolves for fourth in the West standings.
The duo of James and Doncic was the only bright spot in the game for Los Angeles, as they continue to be a potent tandem despite the loss. Doncic would finish with a solid line of 24 points, 9 rebounds, and 9 assists, with James dropping a near triple-double himself with 26 points, 9 rebounds, and 10 assists.
Lakers Historic Streak Comes To An End
In a season filled with historic streaks, the Lakers entered the game with a record of 13-0 in clutch games, which is the second-best start in NBA history for clutch wins. Unfortunately for the Lakers, that streak came to an end with their close loss.
The NBA defines clutch wins as a game that is within 5 points in the final 5 minutes of the game. The league started tracking this stat at the start of the 1997-98 season, with only the 2006-07 Dallas Mavericks, 2012-13 Miami Heat, and 2015-16 Golden State Warriors being the only teams to win 30 clutch games in a single season.
Bucks Starting to Find Consistency Following Rough Start To the Season
Despite a less-than-ideal start to the season that was mired in trade rumors and injuries surrounding Antetokounmpo, the Bucks have seemed to find their footing as of late. This win brings the Bucks’ record to 17-21 on the season, which puts them one game back of the Chicago Bulls for the final play-in spot.
After Antetokounmpo suffered a calf strain that caused the Bucks star to miss nearly four weeks, the Bucks seemed to go full tank mode with a 3-11 record in his absence. However, with him back in the lineup, the Bucks have a 5-2 record since his return. As the NBA season approaches the halfway point, the Bucks seem to have figured out their issues.
