AP Photo/Morry Gash
In the battle of the past two NBA champions Wednesday night, the Milwaukee Bucks came out victorious.
Led by another monster performance from Giannis Antetokounmpo and an inspired showing from Bobby Portis, the Bucks knocked off the Los Angeles Lakers, 109-102.
While Khris Middleton returned to action for the first time since Oct. 30 for Milwaukee (7-8), LeBron James missed his eighth straight game for the Lakers. Los Angeles (8-8) is just 4-4 in those contests.
Perhaps the Lakers’ night could best be summed up by this Westbrook gaffe:
Neither team will be particularly thrilled with how they’ve started the season. But the Bucks looked the part of the defending champions on Wednesday, beating the shorthanded Lakers.
Key Stats
Giannis Antetokounmpo, MIL: 47 points, nine rebounds, 18-of-23 from the field
Bobby Portis, MIL: 17 points, five rebounds
Khris Middleton, MIL: 16 points, six assists, five rebounds
Anthony Davis, LAL: 18 points, nine rebounds
Russell Westbrook, LAL: 19 points, 15 assists
Talen Horton-Tucker, LAL: 25 points, 12 rebounds
Giannis Is Downright Unstoppable
If this game was only two quarters, the Greek Freak would have had himself a game.
But it lasted four, of course, giving Antetokounmpo the chance to add to his dominant first half. He didn’t disappoint.
And in the superstar showdown between Giannis and AD, there was a pretty clear winner.
This man was a two-time MVP and the defending Finals MVP for a reason. Giannis doesn’t miss an opportunity to remind the NBA world of his supremacy.
With LeBron Out, The Lakers Needed More From AD
In a game devoid of James, you would expect Davis or perhaps Westbrook to lead the Lakes in scoring. Instead, on Wednesday, it was Horton-Tucker.
That isn’t going to cut it, even if Davis was slightly hobbled at one point.
His one highlight moment came on this dunk:
Davis’ inability to take over the game, like his superstar counterpart Antetokounmpo, was the difference in this one. At some point, the Lakers are supposed to transition from being LeBron’s team to one that follows AD.
Wednesday was another reminder that such a time hasn’t come, at least not yet.
What’s Next?
The Lakers stay on the road, traveling to Boston to face the Celtics on Friday at 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN. The Bucks are in action that same night, hosting the Oklahoma City Thunder at 8 p.m. ET.
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