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The Lakers began the game on a 7-0 run, and led 24-18 while holding the Bucks to 26.1% shooting after the first quarter. Jordan Clarkson continued his recent habit of getting toasty early, scoring a quick 7 points in addition to dishing 4 assists (0 turnovers) and pulling down 3 boards after one for a well rounded start.
Los Angeles pushed their lead to as much as 10 in the second quarter, but the team's bench allowed Milwaukee to make a run and take a lead of their own. The half ended with the Lakers trailing by 2, 47-45. Clarkson only missed one shot in the first half (11 points, 5-6 from the field), while it was Jerryd Bayless with 7 points in the first half to lead the way for the Bucks.
Milwaukee extended their lead to 7 points after the three, with a much more concentrated effort to get to the basket likely owed to a half time adjustment by Jason Kidd. Giannis Antetokounmpo (13 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block) was all over the place and tipping every ball in site.
The Lakers looked better to start the fourth quarter than they did in the third though, ripping off an 11-5 run to begin the final frame. Then Wayne Ellington caught fire, scoring all 14 of his points in the fourth quarter for his best Kobe Bryant impersonation as the Lakers outscored the Bucks 36-21 as the Bucks shot 21% in the period. Jeremy Lin also played well in the fourth to finish the game with 14 points, 5 rebounds, and 6 assists.
Frustratingly, although Clarkson played well (16 points, 5 assists, and 4 rebounds), he did not see a second of floor time in the fourth quarter, and Tarik Black did not play at all as Byron Scott continued a worrying trend of ignoring the Lakers' youth late in games.
The win was the purple and gold's third straight, and suddenly their Sunday afternoon matchup with the Oklahoma City Thunder looks much more intriguing.