Giannis Shines Late as Bucks Edge Lakers in LA

Bucks Giannis Antetokounmpo shines in the last minutes of the game while showcasing his defensive prowess in the game against LA Lakers.

Giannis Antetokounmpo delivered two defensive masterclasses in the final minute on Friday night to lead the Milwaukee Bucks to a gritty 105-101 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers at Crypto.com Arena. Despite Milwaukee blowing a double-digit lead, the “Greek Freak” ensured they escaped with their first win over a winning team since mid-December.

The drama peaked in the closing seconds when “Antetokounmpo blocked a driving layup attempt by James with 39 seconds left.” That defensive stop allowed Kevin Porter Jr., who finished with a team-high 22 points, to break a late tie at the free-throw line. Moments later, Giannis struck again, as “Antetokounmpo then knocked the ball out of James’ hands from behind with 2 seconds left” to effectively end the contest.

The Lakers’ night was further marred by shooting struggles from Luka Doncic, who was held to 24 points on 8-of-25 shooting. Doncic eventually “fouled out on Porter’s 3-point attempt with 16.2 seconds to play,” leaving LeBron James (26 points, 10 assists) to carry the load alone.

While “Antetokounmpo finished with 21 points in his lowest-scoring effort since returning from his right calf strain,” his defensive presence proved to be the difference-maker. For Los Angeles, the loss marks their sixth in ten games as they continue to deal with injuries to key rotation players like Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura.