Lakers vs. Bucks: In-game report
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Lakers 95, Bucks 77 (final)
In a real boring game between the Lakers and Milwaukee Bucks tonight at Staples Center, Shannon Brown gave the game some life.
But it wasn’t from a dunk, which he has become known for.
It was his defense in which Brown showed off his tremendous leaping ability.
Bucks guard Luke Ridnour went hard to the basket one-on-one against Brown, who leaped into the air and blocked the shot.
Bucks rookie guard Brandon Jennings got the loose ball and also attacked the rim, but there was Brown to block his shot.
The fans cheered. The Lakers on the bench cheered.
Otherwise, the game was mostly dull.
That’s what you get when both teams are offensively challenged.
Andrew Bynum did collect a career-high 18 rebounds and had 17 points, his third consecutive double-double.
Brown had 19 points on eight-for-12 shooting for a Lakers’ team that shot only 40% from the field.
Lakers 65, Bucks 46 (third quarter) It was not a good night for Kobe Bryant shooting wise and then it got uglier when he was hit with a technical foul.
Bryant already was on the bench with his fourth foul. After Andrew Bynum was called for a tripping foul, Bryant stood up and yelled from the bench at an official.
The official hit Bryant with a technical foul.
It was Bryant’s 10th technical foul of the season. Any player that gets 16 technical fouls will be suspended for a game. Bryant is getting dangerously close.
He was not making his shots all game. By the time Bryant went to the bench in the third, he was four-for-21 shooting from the field.
As a team, the Lakers made only 35.5% of their shots in the third.
But they finished on a nice run, including a 45-foot three-pointer by Shannon Brown that beat the buzzer to give the Lakers a 19-point lead.
Lakers 39, Bucks 28 (halftime)
It was not a pretty first half for the Lakers tonight, or for the Milwaukee Bucks.
Neither team could make a shot, but both the Lakers and Bucks kept trying and trying.
The Lakers made only 30.8% (12 for 39) of their shots. The Bucks made just 28.6% (12 for 42) of their shots.
Kobe Bryant missed 13 of his 14 shots, but he kept shooting. He even attempted a 16-foot left-handed shot. He missed.
Derek Fisher was one for four, although he did make all six of his free throws in the half and has eight points.
Bucks rookie point guard Brandon Jennings missed all six of his shots in the first half.
Andrew Bynum leads the Lakers with 15 points and 11 rebounds. Lamar Odom has eight rebounds. Hakim Warrick is the only Milwaukee player in double figures with 14 points on six-for-nine shooting.
Lakers 24, Bucks 8 (first quarter)
The Lakers played great defense in the first quarter tonight against Milwaukee and went inside frequently to center Andrew Bynum, which allowed the them to go up by as much as 18 points.
Bynum had 12 points on five-for-eight shooting in the quarter. He also had six rebounds. At one point in the quarter, he deflected a layup by Bucks point guard Brandon Jennings, collected the ball and finished a quick possession with a dunk in transition.
Pregame
The Lakers have lost back-to-back games for only the second time this season, and in both defeats they were without power forward Pau Gasol, who is out with a strained left hamstring.
What’s amazing is that the Lakers haven’t lost three consecutive games since they acquired Gasol on Feb. 1, 2008.
With a game against the Milwaukee Bucks Sunday night at Staples Center, the Lakers were hopeful that they could stop a losing streak.
It took a last-second shot by Kobe Bryant for the Lakers to defeat the Bucks in Milwaukee in overtime last month.
Gasol missed his fourth straight game because of the injured hamstring. He had to stop running on a treadmill Saturday at practice because he felt pain.
He was scheduled to work out before Sunday night’s game and then would decide whether he would practice Monday.
-- Broderick Turner
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