Lakers erase 19-point, 4th-quarter deficit, outlast Bucks in 2OT stunner without LeBron James
The Los Angeles Lakers didn’t need LeBron James to win a double-overtime thriller.
Anthony Davis and Austin Reaves led the team to a 128-124 win over the Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday, erasing a 19-point, fourth-quarter lead just to force the first overtime. To reach the second overtime, Davis had to snuff out a would-be game-winner from Damian Lillard.
The win improves the Lakers’ record to 6-4 this season without James.
Davis posted 34 points, 23 rebounds, four blocks, two steals and two assists in a career-high 52 minutes, while Reaves had a triple-double with 29 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists. D’Angelo Russell had 29 points and 12 assists.
That trio combined to score all but two of the Lakers’ points in the fourth quarter, in which the Bucks led 94-75 at one point. There was plenty to regret for Milwaukee, but Giannis Antetokounmpo‘s 1-for-6 night at the free-throw line stood out as the Lakers took control in the second overtime.
It was a worse day at the office for Lillard, who shot 9 of 29 from the field (3 of 14 from 3-point range) for 27 points. His lone points of the second overtime came on a breakaway dunk off a steal.
This isn’t even the first time the Lakers have stunned the Bucks sans James this month, as there was also a 123-122 win at Crypto.com Arena on March 8. That was the game in which Russell posted 44 points.
The win, the Lakers’ fourth straight, improves the team’s record to 40-32, keeping them in ninth place in the Western Conference and two games back from the Phoenix Suns for eighth place.
