D’Angelo Russell scored a season-high 44 points with nine assists, including a go-ahead floater with 5.9 seconds remaining, and the Los Angeles Lakers earned a 123-122 victory Friday over the visiting Milwaukee Bucks.
Anthony Davis scored 22 points with 13 rebounds and Austin Reaves added 18 points as the Lakers improved to 4-2 since Feb. 28. Russell tied a career high with nine 3-pointers on 12 attempts.
The Lakers won without LeBron James after he aggravated a left ankle injury during a loss Wednesday against the Sacramento Kings. Los Angeles is 5-4 in games that James has missed this season.
Rui Hachimura scored 12 points for Los Angeles and Spencer Dinwiddie had just five points but blocked a potential go-ahead shot from the Bucks’ Damian Lillard just before the buzzer.
Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 34 points with 14 rebounds and 12 assists for his eighth triple-double of the season but the Bucks lost their second consecutive game after a six-game winning streak.
Lillard scored 28 points with 12 assists, Pat Connaughton scored 17 points and Malik Beasley and Bobby Portis each had 14 as the Bucks fell to 0-2 on a four-game California road trip.
The Lakers trailed the entire first quarter before moving in front 67-63 at halftime behind 16 points from Russell and 14 from Davis. Antetokounmpo had 16 for the Bucks. Los Angeles controlled the third quarter, leading by as many as nine points and taking a 96-90 lead into the final period.
The Bucks pulled even for the first time in the second half at 103-103 with 7:16 remaining in the game on a reverse layup from Lillard. Los Angeles moved back in front 108-103 with 5:32 remaining on five consecutive points from Russell, including his eighth 3-pointer.
Milwaukee’s first lead of the second half came on a short jumper from Antetokounmpo for a 111-110 advantage with 2:53 remaining. A Connaughton 3-pointer and a four-point play from Lillard put the Bucks up 118-112 with 1:54 left to cap a 13-2 run.
A Russell three-point play brought the Lakers within 122-121 with 39.4 seconds remaining.
–Field Level Media