Tuesday, December 17, 2024

Lakers erase 19-point, 4th quarter deficit 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 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday, sweeping a 19-point, fourth quarter to force the first overtime. Davis had to drain a game-winner from Damian Lillard to reach the second overtime.

The win improves the Lakers' record to 6-4 this season without James.

Davis recorded 34 points, 23 rebounds, four blocks, two steals and two assists in 52 minutes. D'Angelo Russell had 29 points and 12 assists.

The 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 lament 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 bad day at the office for Lillard, who shot 9 of 29 from the field (14 from 3-point range) for 27 points. His lone points of the second overtime came on a broken dunk that was stolen.

It wasn't the first time the Lakers shocked the Bucs sans James 123-122 at Crypto.com Arena on March 8. This was in a game where Russell scored 44 points.

The win, the Lakers' fourth straight, improved the team's record to 40-32 and kept them in ninth place in the Western Conference, two games back of the eighth-place Phoenix Suns.

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