Anthony Davis and Austin Reaves helped power the LeBron James-less Los Angeles Lakers to a furious fourth-quarter comeback and a 128-124 double-overtime road win against the Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday.
Trailing by as many as 19 points with eight minutes to go in the final frame, Davis and Reaves helped drag the Lakers back to parity and produce just enough offense to scrape out an impressive victory in the second period of additional time at Fiserv Forum in Wisconsin.
Davis played 52 minutes – the most playing time by a Lakers player since Kobe Bryant in 2012, per ESPN – during which he racked up 34 points, 23 rebounds, four blocks and two steals. Although the physical toll of the game was evidently wearing on the 31-year-old late on, he still found the energy to register two vital late blocks against Bucks star Damian Lillard to keep things close.
Reaves also flourished late on in the absence of James, who sat the game out with ankle soreness.
He finished with a triple-double – with 29 points, 14 rebounds, 10 assists and just one turnover – with the majority of his best work coming as the game wore on.
The 25-year-old guard scored 15 of his points in the final two quarters of regulation and nine more in the two overtimes, including a clutch go-ahead three-pointer with just under 40 seconds left in the game to put the Lakers ahead for good.
“This is the stuff you dream about as a kid, being on the road with your guys, battling out an amazing team and having opportunities to make big shots,” Reaves told reporters afterwards, per ESPN.
D’Angelo Russell also stood out down the stretch, overcoming a rocky first half to end the game with 29 points, seven rebounds and 12 assists.
Giannis Antetokounmpo led the way for the Bucks, finishing with 29 points, 21 rebounds, 11 assists and three blocks in the losing effort.
Tuesday’s victory was LA’s fourth in a row as it battles for a spot in the postseason.
The Lakers currently sit ninth in the Western Conference at 40-32 in the bottom half of the Play-In bracket. However, they now are just two games behind the Sacramento Kings and the Phoenix Suns who currently occupy the seventh and eighth spots respectively. By moving up into the top half of the Play-In standings, the Lakers would get two attempts at reaching the NBA Playoffs, rather than just the one they have now.
Los Angeles is currently three games behind the Dallas Mavericks who sit in the final automatic playoff spot.
The Lakers next hit the court on Wednesday night in Memphis as they take on the Grizzlies, while the Bucks will look to bounce back on the road against the New Orleans Pelicans on Thursday.
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