The Lakers pulled off a huge 123-112 blowout win against the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday night, running away with it in the third quarter after a tight first half. But here’s the real gut punch, folks: they did it while their superstar Luka Dončić twisted his ankle and Austin Reaves left the game with a heel injury. Collin Sexton also took a blow to the face. This team just keeps finding ways to win, even when the chips are down, but man, those injuries are a real concern.
The Third Quarter Takeover, Led By The Bench Mob
LA led for most of the game, but the Bucks were feisty as heck for much of the contest, refusing to go away easily. It wasn’t until that pivotal third quarter when the Lakers truly blew the game open and took full, undeniable control. Milwaukee shot themselves in the foot all night, turning the ball over a whopping 19 times, which the Lakers capitalized on for a crushing 28 points. But the real story here? The Lakers’ bench was absolutely ON FIRE again, dropping a staggering 55 points. That kind of depth, especially when your top guys are getting banged up, is the stuff champions are made of.
Early Scraps and Spark Plugs
The game didn’t start as a blowout, though. Brayden Burries actually gave the Bucks an early lead, but Luka and Austin quickly started to cook, combining for 14 points to put Los Angeles ahead on a swift 12-0 scoring run. Luka was already in double figures with 14 points, eventually finishing the first quarter with 16 points on 5-9 shooting, while Reaves added 7. Milwaukee tried to hang tough, with Kyle Kuzma and Tyler Herro each scoring 12 points to keep them close. Jaime Jacquez Jr. even heated up, dropping 8 points to cut LA’s lead down to just two by the end of the first, with the Lakers up 30-28.
Solid bench minutes early on from Sandro Mamukelashvili (Mamu), Vando, and Ziaire definitely helped. However, the Lakers looked a little shaky on the defensive glass, allowing Milwaukee 6 offensive rebounds, and in transition. The second period saw Walker Kessler get on the board with a layup, and Mamu picking up right where he left off, providing an excellent spark with five points. Collin Sexton pitched in with four points. Even as the Bucks cut a 10-point Lakers lead to four, with Jacquez Jr and Herro leading the charge and Milwaukee shooting 50% from the field compared to LA’s 42%, the Lakers’ offense woke back up. A quick 7-0 run from Sexton and Luka steadied the ship. Despite a three-minute scoring drought for Milwaukee, broken by Herro, the Bucks kept inching closer. But then Mamu and Reaves combined for nine crucial points, giving the purple and gold an 11-point lead at halftime. And let me tell you, Sandro Mamukelashvili, or Mamu as we know him, is *so good man*. What a signing!
So, the Lakers snagged a fantastic win, 123-112, showing off their resilience and bench power. But with Luka Dončić twisting his ankle, Austin Reaves leaving with a heel injury, and Collin Sexton taking a blow to the face, all eyes will be on the injury report. The depth is clearly there to carry the load, but we’re all holding our breath for the health of our stars.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Silver Screen and Roll.
Leave a Reply