Lakers vs. Bucks in-game report

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Lakers 107, Bucks 106 (overtime)

Kobe Bryant was not going to miss the game-winning shot this time.

Given another chance, Bryant made a jumper just before the buzzer sounded, giving the Lakers the win in overtime over the gritty Milwaukee Bucks.

Bryant had missed a chance to give the Lakers the win in regulation.

But he missed that shot.

This time, after the Lakers came back from a six-point deficit in OT to close to within 106-105 on a three-point play by Bryant with 48.6 seconds left, Bryant struck after Michael Redd missed a floater.

Bryant began to drive down the left side of the lane, stepped back, rose up over Charlie Bell and knocked down the jumper.

He raised his hands in the air and was mobbed by his teammates on the court.

Bryant finished with 39 points.

Lakers 95, Bucks 95 (fourth quarter)

The Lakers didn’t see this coming, the Milwaukee Bucks playing them to a standstill after four quarters.

It happened that way because Kobe Bryant missed a last-second shot just before the quarter ended.

The Bucks had a chance to win the game, but failed.

Andrew Bogut scored while being fouled by Pau Gasol with 20.7 seconds left, tying the score at 95-95.

But Bogut missed the free throw.

Lakers 74, Bucks 71 (end of third quarter) The Lakers played much better in the third quarter, outscoring the Bucks, 29-24.

In fact, both teams looked better offensively in the third.

Kobe Bryant is leading the Lakers with 24 points through three quarters. Pau Gasol has 17 points and 17 rebounds through three.

Bucks 47, Lakers 45 (halftime) Toward the end of the second quarter, the Lakers registered some complaints with the officials.

It did them no good.

They were upset that Ron Artest was called for a technical foul and they were upset that Brandon Jennings was not called for a carrying violation just before he scored the last basket of the first half.

It all added up to the Lakers trailing by two points while playing uninspired basketball.

It was not a very good first first half for Andrew Bynum, who picked up three fouls in the first half, allowing him to play just 11 minutes.

Bynum had just four points and two rebounds by the half.

Bucks 20, Lakers 19 (end of first quarter)

Neither team shot well in the first quarter tonight at the Bradley Center in Milwaukee.

The Lakers made 39% of their shots from the field. The Bucks made only 34.8% of their shots.

Kobe Bryant was two for six from the field for the Lakers.

Bucks rookie point guard Brandon Jennings was one-for-four shooting from the field in the first quarter.

Pregame
The Lakers face a Milwaukee Bucks team tonight that’s only 11-11, but the Bucks are 9-3 at home.

With the Lakers playing the Bucks at the Bradley Center, that has Coach Phil Jackson concerned about what his team is about to encounter.

‘I don’t know if I should say they are explosive, but they are dynamic, I think, in a certain way on their home court,’ Jackson said of the Bucks.

Jackson said a lot of that has to do with rookie point guard Brandon Jennings.

Jennings, who attended Compton Dominiguez High as an underclassman, scored 55 points in a game this season against the Golden State Warriors.

Jennings is averaging 21.1 points and 6.0 assists per game for the Bucks. That means that Lakers point guard Derek Fisher will have his hands full.

But he’ll need help from Lakers big men Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol when Jennings attacks the lane.

-- Broderick Turner