LOS ANGELES_In the waning minutes Friday night at Staples Center, the Milwaukee Bucks showed exactly why they have the best record in the NBA.
The Los Angeles Lakers led by as many as 12 points, but stalled late in the fourth quarter. They committed three turnovers in the game's final 2:36 and suddenly couldn't stop the Bucks, who defeated the Lakers 131-120.
"Against one of the best teams in the league we really played well," Lakers coach Luke Walton said. "And then for some reason, we kind of fell apart at the end there. When we're playing the elite teams, we have to take games ... I thought we did that for most of the night tonight and then we did not to finish that."
Brandon Ingram, LeBron James and Milwaukee's Eric Bledsoe each scored 31 points. Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 16 points with 15 rebounds.
With the loss the Lakers fell to 30-32 while the Bucks improved to 48-14. The Lakers are now four games behind the Los Angeles Clippers, who are currently the seventh seed in the Western Conference, and 3{ games behind San Antonio in eighth.
"We don't try to harp on it too much," Walton said of the Lakers' playoff chase. "I say all the time, the way that we're going to be at our best is if we stay present, keep our mind-set on what we're doing day by day. ... But the group is very aware of where we're at and what needs to happen."
The Bucks were just the type of opponent the Lakers love.
They've surprised the best teams in the league often this season, beating Houston, Golden State, Oklahoma City and Boston.
Milwaukee had an early lead, but never a big one in the first quarter.
Rajon Rondo, who had a strong game in a victory over New Orleans on Wednesday, attempted seven three-pointers in the first quarter, finally making one on his sixth attempt to the delight of the crowd.
"We talked, whenever I speak with him, if it's the right shot it's the right shot," Walton said. "Whether you're open or not, that doesn't always determine whether it's the right shot. ... I thought most of the ones he took in the first half were good shots."
Ingram made all six of his shot attempts in the first quarter, and his first nine overall. He didn't miss until 9:23 remained in the third quarter. On one play, Ingram spun past Nikola Mirotic, drove under the basket and dunked back toward it. On another, he elevated over seven-footer Brook Lopez, dunked on him and then screamed under the basket.
The Lakers built a 12-point lead in the third quarter at 79-67, but the Bucks were ready to show them just how they'd quietly earned the league's best record. A 16-3 run by Milwaukee entirely erased that lead.
Rather than crumble after losing that big lead, the Lakers kept fighting. The Bucks took a six-point lead twice in the fourth quarter, but successive three-pointers by James and Rondo tied the game at 106.
With 4:08 left James sized up Ilyasova and drove at him, completing a dunk as Ilyasova fouled him. He made the ensuing free throw to tie the score at 113. At the other end of the court, Ingram blocked Bledsoe.
The Lakers had a two-point lead, 118-116, when the game finally began to unravel.
Back-to-back possessions ended in turnovers, first when Rondo lost control of the ball, then when James committed an offensive foul under the basket.
Malcolm Brogdon hit two free throws to give the Bucks a three-point lead, then a Lakers turnover on the inbound pass led to Brogdon's three-pointer for a 124-118 Bucks lead.
Milwaukee scored 11 points in a row in less than two minutes, and that was more than enough.
