The Los Angeles Lakers pulled off a dramatic road win over the Milwaukee Bucks in double overtime on Tuesday night, despite missing their biggest star. With LeBron James sitting out due to ankle soreness, Anthony Davis anchored the squad with a monster performance on both ends of the floor. The 128-124 win gives the Lakers a valuable victory against one of the NBA’s top contenders.
It wasn’t just a big win for the Lakers’ playoff positioning — it also showed how deep this team can be when locked in defensively and willing to fight through adversity.
Game / News Breakdown
Tuesday night’s thriller at Fiserv Forum was packed with momentum swings, big-time plays, and playoff-level intensity. The Lakers came into the game as underdogs without LeBron, but played aggressive basketball from the jump.
They built a double-digit lead in the first half, led by Anthony Davis and a locked-in supporting cast. Milwaukee surged back in the third quarter, led by Giannis Antetokounmpo’s scoring and Khris Middleton’s clutch shot-making.
The teams traded buckets down the stretch, and regulation ended in a 101-101 tie after a missed go-ahead layup by Davis. Both teams fought hard in the first overtime, exchanging leads and clutch moments, but it wasn’t until the second OT that the Lakers finally gained control.
Key moments included:
– Austin Reaves hitting a go-ahead three-pointer with just under a minute left in double OT
– Davis coming up with a crucial block on Lillard’s drive
– Milwaukee missing two chances to tie in the final seconds
The Lakers outscored the Bucks 12-8 in the second overtime to seal their fourth straight win.
Key Players & Performances
The star of the night, without a doubt, was Anthony Davis. From start to finish, he dominated the paint, protected the rim, and imposed his will on both ends.
– Anthony Davis: 34 points, 23 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 blocks
– Austin Reaves: 29 points, 14 assists — including clutch shots and critical playmaking
– D’Angelo Russell: 29 points on 10-of-17 shooting, including multiple fourth-quarter daggers
With LeBron out, Davis knew he had to step up — and he delivered arguably his best performance this season.
For Milwaukee:
– Giannis Antetokounmpo: 29 points, 21 rebounds, 11 assists — another triple-double but hit just 9-of-20 from the line
– Damian Lillard: 27 points but needed 27 shots to get there
– Khris Middleton: 16 points, but ran out of gas late
The Lakers held Milwaukee to just 38% shooting in the fourth quarter and both overtimes, a testament to their defensive effort.
Team Impact & Standings
This win was critical for the Los Angeles Lakers, who are battling to climb out of the play-in range in the Western Conference standings. As of Wednesday morning:
– The Lakers improve to 40-32
– They currently sit 9th in the West but are just two games out of the 6th seed
– This marks their first road win against a top-five team in either conference since January
For the Bucks, the loss drops them to 46-26. They’re still in second place in the Eastern Conference, but the pressure from the Cleveland Cavaliers and New York Knicks is mounting.
The game also raised some red flags for Milwaukee. Their late-game execution continues to look shaky, and they’ve now lost two of their last three in overtime.
What’s Next
The Lakers will look to keep momentum going as they finish their road trip:
– Up next: a tough matchup against the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday in a back-to-back
– LeBron James’ status for that game remains uncertain
This final stretch of the season is important for L.A. They’re trying to avoid the play-in and secure a playoff berth outright.
Meanwhile, Milwaukee travels to New Orleans to face the Pelicans on Thursday. They’ll need to fix some late-game issues and get better production from their bench if they want to hang onto the 2-seed in the East.
Conclusion
Tuesday night’s thriller was one of the best games of the season — tenacious defense, superstar efforts, and a double-overtime finish between two proud franchises. While LeBron sat, the Lakers reminded everyone they’re not just about one player. Anthony Davis and the supporting cast delivered in the clutch, walking out of Milwaukee with a statement win.
The Lakers are heating up at just the right time. If they keep this up, nobody will want to face them in the first round.