The stressful trip grew even more trying for the Lakers when two more core players weren’t able to play in the last leg of a five-game journey that tested L.A. in many ways.
Steady defensive ace Marcus Smart (viral illness) and the solid Rui Hachimura (left calf soreness) missed the second night of back-to-back games Saturday against the Milwaukee Bucks at Fiserv Forum, the two of them sidelined along with LeBron James (sciatica) and Gabe Vincent (left ankle sprain).
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That left it up to Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves and Deandre Ayton to lead the rest of the Lakers to the finish of the eight-day trip and overcome the dominance of Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Doncic, Reaves and Ayton combined for 86 points, and the Lakers opened a 31-point, first-half lead that went a long way in pulling off a 119-95 win over the Bucks.
Read more: With LeBron nearing a return, Austin Reaves and Luka Doncic lead Lakers past Pelicans
Doncic led the way with 41 points, nine rebounds and six assists, making big shots and getting to the line to turn back the Bucks and help the Lakers finish their trip 3-2. Doncic was nine for 19 from the field, including five for 11 from three-point range. He made 18 of 20 free throws.
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“I think it’s pretty incredible,” Doncic said. “We played back-to-back. I think me and AR played like 40 minutes yesterday. We had a long flight, coming in at 3 a.m. Everybody’s tired. So just to come out and be up 30 at halftime, it’s incredible. It speaks a lot about the group.”
Reaves had 25 points, eight assists and six rebounds and also hit big shots to block the Bucks’ comeback, while Ayton had 20 points and 10 rebounds.
Antetokounmpo finished with 32 points, 10 rebounds and five assists, but his effort wasn’t enough to lift the Bucks, who also were playing a back-to-back.
The Lakers’ lead got sliced to 13 in the fourth quarter, but Doncic and Reaves wouldn’t let the Lakers lose their grip, both drilling threes and making free throws to ensure they pulled out the win.
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Reaves had 17 points in the second half. He went five for seven from three-point range in the final 24 minutes. Doncic had 20 points in the second half and was two for five from three-point range.
“They make the run, we get back up 22, they cut it down again,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said. “And then Luka and AR, like they did all night, just led us. And like they’ve done all season. Those guys have done an amazing job of leading our basketball team.”
The Lakers started the trip with a loss in Atlanta to a Hawks team missing several starters and key role players. Then the Lakers lost to the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder by 29, leaving them staggering at 1-2 on the trip.
But the Lakers got their mojo back Friday in New Orleans against the Pelicans, then went out and smoked the Bucks despite being even more shorthanded.
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“To go 3-2 on a trip like this early in the year is good,” Reaves said. “You obviously wish we could have played a little better in Atlanta and OKC, but it’s the league and you’re going to have nights like that and you gotta learn to move on.
“We had a good win last night and you gotta learn to turn the page. … So it’s good to be 3-2 on this trip.”
Redick was asked if Hachimura was injured against the Pelicans.
“I think he’s been having some tightness all week,” Redick said. “With a back-to-back, probably just smart to hold him out tonight. But I don’t think it will be a lingering thing.”
Redick had said he expected rookie Adou Thiero to make his debut this weekend, and the 6-foot-8 forward did.
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Asked what he wanted to see from Thiero, Redick said: “Very simple — just be a banshee.”
Thiero, out to start the season while recovering from left knee surgery, had four points and an offensive rebound in five minutes, scoring his first NBA basket on a fast-break dunk off an assist from Bronny James, who started the game.
Lakers forward Adou Thiero dunks past the Bucks’ Andre Jackson Jr. during the second half Saturday. (Morry Gash / Associated Press)
“I really saw Bronny steal the ball and he was running along the left side of the court and I was like, ‘Let me just run as hard as I can and see what happens,’ Thiero said. “He was able to find me and help me get my first bucket. So, it was a great feeling. Happy it happened.”
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After the dunk, players on the Lakers’ bench leaped in celebration, smiling and laughing. Thiero was given the game ball after the win.
“Whenever I dunked the ball, I could hear them. So, that was pretty hyped,” Thiero said. “But coming down and seeing everybody flexing and all over the bench. It was just a good feeling for everybody to be happy for me.”
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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.