Lakers need double overtime before beating Bucks
The Los Angeles Lakers needed double overtime before claiming a 128-124 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks.
The Lakers, who were without LeBron James because of an ankle injury, had trailed by 10 points with three minutes and 26 seconds left in regulation time.
Milwaukee led until the Lakers levelled it up at 101-101 with 44 seconds left.
The lead went back and forth in overtime until an Austin Reaves three-pointer and two free throws from D’Angelo Russell sealed the win.
Anthony Davis hit 34 points and claimed 23 rebounds despite struggling for mobility for much of the game after injuring a knee in a collision with Milwaukee’s Khris Middleton early on while Reaves had 29 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists.
Davis starred at both ends of the court for the Lakers
Giannis Antetokounmpo had a triple-double with 29 points, 21 rebounds and 11 assists for the Bucks but missed two free throws after Reaves’ late three.
The Lakers, who beat the Bucks by one point at home earlier this month, were down 94-75 with eight minutes and 25 seconds remaining in regulation before they began the comeback which keeps them on track for at least a place in the end-of-season play-in tournament (16-19 April).
Milwaukee coach Doc Rivers said his team paid the price for not putting the game out of reach after opening up the double-digit leads.
“When you have a team down 18 points, you have a chance to take that lead to 30 and we didn’t do that,” he said.
“Instead we let it go from 18 to 10, and that gave them hope. It will be a good lesson for us.”
In other games on Tuesday, the Golden State Warriors boosted their hopes of reaching the post-season with a 113-92 away win over the Miami Heat while the Oklahoma City Thunder kept up the pressure on Western Conference leaders the Denver Nuggets with a 119-112 win over the New Orleans Pelicans.