Los Angeles Lakers

Milwaukee Bucks: Takeaways From Loss To Los Angeles Lakers

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 8:31 p.m. ET

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Fansided, Ti Windisch/FanSided via Behind the Buck Pass

Feb 10, 2017; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Nick Young (0) reacts after making a basket during the third quarter against the Milwaukee Bucks at BMO Harris Bradley Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

The Milwaukee Bucks added another L to their collection when the Los Angeles Lakers rolled into town on Friday night.

The Milwaukee Bucks got smacked on Friday night. The game may look close because of the final score, but a closer look shows that this was a game the Los Angeles Lakers controlled from the beginning until a spirited Bucks comeback.

It was too little, too late for Milwaukee on Friday though. The Bucks had a chance to come out inspired and band together after losing Jabari Parker for the season. That’s not exactly what happened.

The opposite actually is what happened, as the Lakers scored 47 points in the first quarter against Milwaukee. The Lakers, who don’t even average 53 points a half, put up 47 in a quarter. Yikes. The Bucks managed 30 themselves, but that’s not much to hang your hat on if you’re down 17 points after 12 minutes.

Thanks to a freakish effort late in the second half, Milwaukee ended the game down just eight points. It was tough to get excited by that point because the first half was just draining. The fourth quarter was fun, though, at least compared to the first quarter.

Even in dispiriting games like this one, there are lessons that can be taken away. We’ll go through four of the most important right here, followed by our Bucks player grades piece a little later on.

Feb 22, 2016; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Steve Novak (6) guards Los Angeles Lakers forward Nick Young (0) in the fourth quarter at BMO Harris Bradley Center. The Bucks beat the Lakers 108-101. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports

Let Them Shoot Threes

The Bucks allowed one of the worst four or five teams in the NBA to score 47 points in a quarter. As they did all night, three-pointers made up a significant portion of that point total for Los Angeles. The Lakers made four-of-five threes in the first quarter, and drained 15 of their 30 attempted threes on the evening.

I like Jon McGlocklin as much as anybody. He’s a fantastic presence on the broadcast, and his back-and-forth with Michael Redd was a ton of fun on Friday. His constant cries that there’s nothing the Bucks can do about Los Angeles’ three-point shooting were not fun.

Here’s a suggestion–maybe guarding the shooters would help! Sometimes the Lakers did make contested threes, yes. Often, though, they had a lot of space to get shots off in. The Bucks defense seemingly gives up on shooters who are more than barely beyond the arc, as though they’re too far away to shoot.

Turns out, they are not too far away. Deep, open threes are becoming more and more common in the NBA, and the Lakers took advantage of Milwaukee daring them to shoot them. The Bucks defense fails to fight through screens, when it even remembers to guard three-point shooters at all, and that can lead to blowouts like this one.

Feb 10, 2017; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) drives for the basket as Los Angeles Lakers guard D’Angelo Russell (1) defends during the third quarter at BMO Harris Bradley Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

Giannis And Company

This game was over by halftime. Or it should have been, anyway. Giannis Antetokounmpo refused to let that happen. In the second half alone, Giannis posted 24 points, eight rebounds, four assists, two blocks and two steals.

The Greek Freak was also the only thing even keeping the first quarter somewhat competitive. The Bucks still got outscored by eight with Giannis on the floor, but damn was he trying hard to get Milwaukee back in the game. Giannis ended the night with a career-high 41 points, plus eight rebounds, six assists, two steals and three blocks.

His relentless efforts to do so inspired his teammates, especially Malcolm Brogdon, who then also started fighting harder. The Bucks outscored the Lakers by two in the third quarter, and then by 11 in the fourth quarter. It wasn’t enough for a win, but at least it was something.

The bigger question has to be: was it worth it? Milwaukee has another game on Saturday night, but that didn’t stop Jason Kidd from playing Giannis for 42 minutes against Los Angeles. It would’ve taken a miracle for the Bucks to actually win–why push for one at this point?

Nov 17, 2016; Miami, FL, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Michael Beasley (9) dribbles the ball against the Miami Heat during the first half at American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

The Weird Forward Rotation

Out of the three options Kidd had to throw into Jabari’s starting spot, he picked Thon Maker. Thon was about what you’d expect–he made some defensive mistakes, like most 19-year-old NBA players will do, but he also brought the most energy by far.

Mirza Teletovic got 19 minutes, and although he was one-for-six from the field the Bucks were 11 points better than Los Angeles in his time on the floor. Imagine how high that number could’ve been if he was sinking his threes!

Michael Beasley made the biggest box score impact among the players, scoring 15 points in 23 minutes, but he lapsed a few times defensively and committed some costly fouls, including one on Nick Young to set up a four-point play.

Considering how all three of them played on Friday, I’d like to see Thon continue to get playing time the most. It’s just so fun to watch him do just about anything, especially when he’s on the floor with Giannis.

Feb 1, 2017; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert (27) is fouled by Milwaukee Bucks guard Matthew Dellavedova (8) during the second half at Vivint Smart Home Arena. The Jazz won 104-88. Mandatory Credit: Russ Isabella-USA TODAY Sports

Maybe Don’t Foul So Much

The Lakers took 35 free throws on Friday, which, if you’re wondering, is a lot of free throws. In fact, it’s the third-most free throws the Lakers have attempted all season. It’s no surprise that Los Angeles won all three of their games in which the team got to the free throw line 35 times or more.

More from Behind the Buck Pass

It’s very easy to win basketball games when the other team literally gives you points, which is essentially what free throws are. Milwaukee was fouling the Lakers like crazy, and that allowed L.A. to cash in on 29 made free throws on Friday night.

That’s a big no-no. Giannis was good about not fouling everybody in the world for once, but Jason Terry and Thon Maker both accumulated five personal fouls. That just can’t happen in a game where a team is already hot from the perimeter.

The Bucks, for the record, also did a good job in getting to the foul line. Milwaukee made 26 of the team’s attempted 31 free throws. Giannis was the only reason the Bucks were close to the Lakers in that regard, though, as he sunk 18 of his 21 attempted foul shots.

Getting to the line more–and allowing the Lakers to get there less–could’ve made the Bucks attempted comeback a reality on Friday night. Oh well.

The Bucks won’t have much time to regroup, as they take on the Indiana Pacers in Indianapolis on Saturday evening.

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