MILWAUKEE — Staring at a double-digit deficit midway through the fourth quarter without LeBron James available, Austin Reaves and the Los Angeles Lakers faced a clear choice.
“It was one of those moments that you could either flip the page to tomorrow, get ready for that game or you could go out and compete 110% and give yourself an opportunity or at least try to give yourself an opportunity to get back in the game,” Reaves said.
The Lakers chose the latter option and delivered a comeback for the ages.
Reaves had his second career triple-double and made a tiebreaking 3-pointer with 38.6 seconds left in the second overtime as the Lakers overcame James’ absence and rallied to beat the Milwaukee Bucks 128-124 on Tuesday night.
Reaves had 29 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists in 47 minutes as the Lakers opened a six-game trip by winning their fourth straight despite trailing by 19 points in the fourth quarter and never leading in regulation. Anthony Davis provided 34 points and 23 rebounds while playing 52 minutes despite dealing with a knee problem late in the game.
“A 20-point lead in this league now, it’s nothing because of the way the offense is right now in the league, so high-powered that you can wipe away a lead pretty fast,” Davis said. The Lakers won’t have much time to celebrate their stunning comeback. They’re playing again Wednesday at Memphis.
Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo had 29 points, a season-high 21 rebounds and 11 assists for his ninth triple-double of the season. Damian Lillard scored 27 but shot 9 of 29. Malik Beasley added 21.
James had an issue with his left ankle that prevented him from being available as the Lakers opened a six-game trip. James also had missed the Lakers’ 123-122 victory over the Bucks on March 8.
The Lakers still found a way to beat Milwaukee again.
“We’ve got to watch this game, learn from this game,” Antetokounmpo said. “Watch why we weren’t able to get a stop. Watch why the ball wasn’t moving down the stretch. Watch why we lost the game. Watch why there was a lot of 50-50 balls and we weren’t able to get them.”
D’Angelo Russell had 29 points, 12 assists and seven rebounds for the Lakers. Rui Hachimura added 16 points and 14 rebounds.
The exhaustion of both teams was apparent as nobody scored in the first three minutes of the second overtime.