Lakers lose to Bucks in last game before Christmas
By Mike
Bresnahan
Los Angeles
Times
December 21,
2010
Instead of a tune-up, it was a
tune-down?
The Lakers got thumped by the Milwaukee
Bucks, 98-79, Tuesday at Staples Center, a humiliating loss to a team
without three key injured players (Brandon Jennings, Drew Gooden, Corey
Maggette).
The Lakers hadn't scored so few points
against Milwaukee since scoring 81 against the Bucks in
1969.
The Bucks made an impressive eight of 14 from
three-point range and out-rebounded the Lakers,
39-25.
Kobe Bryant had 21 points on nine-for-16
shooting, but Ron Artest had only four and Derek Fisher only two
points.
Earl Boykins led the Bucks with 22
points.
Third quarter
The Lakers
have one more quarter to go into the Christmas Day game with a victory.
It might not happen.
The depleted Milwaukee Bucks
continue to lead the Lakers, 72-66, Tuesday at Staples
Center.
John Salmons has 17 points, including a
17-footer to beat the third-quarter buzzer. Lightly regarded Ersan
Ilyasova has 15 points and eight rebounds.
Kobe
Bryant has 16 points on seven-for-12 shooting, but Ron Artest is having
another off night, scoring four points on two-for-seven shooting,
including an air ball on a three-point attempt near the midpoint of the
quarter. Derek Fisher is also having a quiet night, scoring two points
in 24 minutes.
The Lakers are getting pounded on the
boards, 32-24.
Halftime
Brandon
Jennings is out because of a broken foot. Drew Gooden and Corey
Maggette are also out with injuries.
But it didn't
stop the Milwaukee Bucks from taking a 50-46 halftime lead over the
Lakers on Tuesday at Staples Center.
Bucks power
forward Ersan Ilyasova led all scorers with 13 points, and the Bucks
outrebounded the Lakers, 22-16, and generally outhustled
them.
Lamar Odom and Kobe Bryant each had 10 points
for the Lakers, who allowed the Bucks to shoot 53.8% in the first
half.
First quarter
Forget Miami.
The Lakers are struggling against Milwaukee.
Ersan
Ilyasova and Andrew Bogut each had eight points as the Bucks led the
Lakers, 25-22, through one quarter Tuesday at Staples
Center.
The Bucks were shooting 61.1%, with Bogut
and Ilyasova combining to make seven of eight
attempts.
Only three Lakers had scored: Pau Gasol
and Lamar Odom each had eight points, and Kobe Bryant had
six.
Preamble
One last game
before the Lakers play that team from South
Florida.
Until then, they play Tuesday against the
Milwaukee Bucks, who have foundered this season after making the
playoffs last season as the No. 6 team from the Eastern
Conference.
Just when things couldn't get worse for
the Bucks, they did, the team announcing Monday that point guard
Brandon Jennings would miss four to six weeks after undergoing surgery
for a broken foot. Former Clippers guard Keyon Dooling gets the start
in Jennings' place.
The Lakers (21-7), meanwhile,
will try to add to the momentum of a five-game winning streak with 48
more minutes of action before playing Miami on Christmas
Day.
Andrew Bynum looked good last Sunday against
Toronto, collecting 16 points and seven rebounds, but complained of a
sore knee afterward. Many eyes will be on him
Tuesday.