D’Angelo Russell delivered a season-high 44 points, including a pivotal go-ahead jumper in the final seconds, to lead the Los Angeles Lakers to a 123-122 win against the Milwaukee Bucks during Friday’s NBA action.
Despite LeBron James‘ absence due to injury, the Lakers showcased resilience and determination to secure the victory.
“D-Lo just stepped up and won us the game, and obviously with Spence with the defense on that last possession,” Lakers guard Austin Reaves said. “Just seeing D-Lo take over the game, I constantly kept telling him in timeouts, ‘Take us home.’”
Russell, unfazed by the pressure, attributed his on-court confidence to the trials he’s faced throughout his career, including multiple trades and public scrutiny.
“On the floor, I’ve always felt like I was capable of doing things, (and) getting hot makes it a little more exciting,” Russell said. “Off the floor, obviously you all know what I’ve been through. Public humiliation has done nothing but mold me into the killer that you all see today. I never lack confidence. I never fear confrontation. I want all the smoke. … I just feel confident in what I bring to the basketball game, so whatever room I walk in, I’m confident.”
NBA NEWS & SCORES: D’Angelo Russell, Los Angeles Lakers, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Damian Lillard, Milwaukee Bucks Updates
Giannis Antetokounmpo led the Bucks with a triple-double, but it wasn’t enough to prevent their second consecutive loss. Milwaukee’s coach Doc Rivers remained optimistic, emphasizing the need for improvement and consistency.
“It is a missed opportunity, but if we had won, that doesn’t change anything,” Milwaukee coach Doc Rivers said. “We’re trying to go and get better. I thought we had the game in our hands, and we let it go. That happens, and it’ll happen again, and we’ll win some the other way, too.”
The game saw several lead changes in the final moments, with Russell’s critical basket and Spencer Dinwiddie‘s block on Damian Lillard‘s attempt sealing the win for the Lakers.
NBA NEWS & SCORES: D’Angelo Russell, Los Angeles Lakers, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Damian Lillard, Milwaukee Bucks Updates
Rivers praised the synergy between Antetokounmpo and Lillard, calling their two-man game “unstoppable” and expressing a desire to see more of it.
“You want to win all these games, but that’s the stuff that we’re going to keep doing more and more until it becomes us,” Rivers said. “There was a stretch where Damian and Giannis were playing a two-man game, and it was unstoppable. We want to encourage that more and more.”
NBA NEWS & SCORES: D’Angelo Russell, Los Angeles Lakers, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Damian Lillard, Milwaukee Bucks Updates
The Lakers’ Anthony Davis, who played through a shoulder injury, and the Bucks’ Pat Connaughton, who scored a season-high 17 points, were also instrumental in the closely contested match.
As both teams prepare for their next games, the Lakers look to maintain their upward trajectory in the Western Conference, while the Bucks aim to bounce back against the Clippers.
