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 The Bucks led by as many as 12 points in the fourth quarter but
had to sweat out the final minute as Lakers swingman Kent Bazemore
sank a 26-foot 3-pointer with two seconds left.
Milwaukee guard Ramon Sessions missed the front end of two free
throws with 0.6 of a second left. On the Lakers' last gasp, guard
Nick Young's 27-footer was blocked and the Bucks escaped with the
victory, snapping an eight-game losing streak.
"We just wanted to defend the 3-point line," Bucks coach Larry Drew
said. "They got us the first time. When they ran the play, we
started backing up and they just kind of popped it from two or three
feet back from the 3-point line, but I thought we did a good job
defending it that last position."
The Bucks' backcourt tandem of Sessions and Brandon Knight led the
way, combining for 52 points as the Bucks shot 56 percent from the
field and knocked down 6 of 10 3-point attempts.
"Both guys, offensively, really opened up the floor with their
penetration," Drew said. "We probably ran more pick-and-roll than
any other game we played, but we really were just focused on trying
to open up the floor and both guys were getting to the basket and
making shots.
"They seemed to play well off one another tonight. I played them
both heavy minutes, but they responded very well."
Sessions went 5 of 10 from the field but was 11 of 14 from the free
throw line and added five assists to finish with 22 points.
Knight led all scorers with 30, making 12 of 21 shots from the
field, including two 3-pointers.
"A lot of it was getting stops early on in the game and being able
to get out and run so we got some easy baskets early," Knight said.
"We didn't share the ball, but I think the guys were able to make
shots tonight as well."
Tied at 77 after Lakers center Robert Sacre made two free throws
with 2:46 left in the third quarter, Milwaukee went on a 17-5 run
and took a 94-82 lead when Sessions connected from 27 feet with 8:52
to play.
Forward Jordan Hill rallied the Lakers, scoring on three of five Los
Angeles possessions and made it a five-point game on a jumper, set
up by guard Jodie Meeks with 4:37.
Young had a chance to make it a one-point game with a minute to
play, but his 3-point attempt from the left wing caught iron and
Milwaukee went back up five on forward Khris Middleton's jumper with
21.4 left.
"We forced some things," Lakers coach Mike D'Antoni said. "It was a
winnable game we let get away."
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Hill led the Lakers with 28 points and finished with 16 rebounds.
Young chipped in 17 points, center Chris Kaman had 13 and Meeks
added 10.
Hill made seven of his first 10 shots from the field and grabbed 11
rebounds in the first half, but the Bucks hit seven of their first
nine shots from the floor and Knight scored 13 points on 6-of-10
shooting to help Milwaukee take a 55-53 lead at the break.
"Give them credit," Lakers guard Kendall Marshall said. "They hit
shots, they shot a high percentage from everywhere on the court, but
we have to do a better job making them take tougher shots. There
were times late in the fourth when we made them take tough,
contested shots and we got back into the game.
"But we have to do that for 48 minutes instead of 10."
The Bucks got a scare midway through the fourth quarter when rookie
forward Giannis Antetokounmpo went to the floor after stepping
awkwardly on Young's foot.
Antetokounmpo walked off the court on his own but did not return.
Team officials later said Antetokounmpo sprained his right ankle.
NOTES: Milwaukee beat Los Angeles 94-79 on New Year's Eve and swept
the season series for the first time since the 2006-07 season. ...
The Bucks learned Thursday that F Ersan Ilyasova was done for the
season after getting a second opinion on his ailing right ankle. ...
Bucks G OJ Mayo was also unavailable Thursday because of a sore
right ankle. ... Lakers C Chris Kaman did not travel on the team
charter from Los Angeles to Milwaukee because of "personal reasons"
but joined the Lakers about 30 minutes before tipoff.
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