Milwaukee ends Lakers' 5-game winning streak
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Earl Boykins scored a season-high 22 points, John Salmons added 20 and the short-handed Milwaukee Bucks stunned the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday night, snapping the two-time defending champion's five-game winning streak with a 98-79 victory.
Kobe Bryant scored 21 points and Pau Gasol added 15 points and 11 rebounds for the Lakers, who belly-flopped in their final tuneup before a Christmas visit from the Miami Heat.
Ersan Ilyasova had 17 points and 11 rebounds for the Bucks, who had lost three straight and were down to nine healthy players against the Lakers, who had beaten them six straight times.
Yet with sturdy defense that held the Lakers to their franchise-low in points against the Bucks, Milwaukee jumped ahead early and finished the game on a 21-7 run, holding the Lakers scoreless for nearly four minutes down the stretch.
Bryant was ejected with 2:07 to play, earning two quick technical fouls after being called for an offensive foul.
"I told them I don't think they can play any worse than that," Lakers coach Phil Jackson said. "This is what we were worried about. We got out of whack there in the second half and never recovered."
Perhaps thinking ahead to the holiday visit from LeBron James and Dwyane Wade, the Lakers were largely lifeless in their return from an impressive seven-game road trip, losing at Staples Center for just the third time in 13 games.
Andrew Bogut scored 15 points for the Bucks, who largely controlled the game despite missing injured regulars Brandon Jennings, Corey Maggette and Drew Gooden on the second stop of a three-game road trip.
Perhaps the most improbable contributions were from the 5-foot-5 Boykins, who hit four 3-pointers - including a rub-it-in basket with 2 1/2 minutes left - as an unlikely substitute for Jennings, the Bucks' leading scorer.
The Lakers openly worried about overlooking the Bucks in their return from the road, speaking specifically about the possibility during the pregame shootaround. Milwaukee scored 107 points in an 11-point home loss to the Lakers on Nov 16, causing matchup problems for the champions.
Yet from the opening tip at Staples Center, the Bucks appeared more motivated and better prepared. Milwaukee made seven of its first eight shots and rarely trailed during the first three quarters, hitting open jumpers and getting a proficient inside performance by Bogut, who won most of his clashes with Gasol in the low post.
When Salmons rattled home a 17-foot jumper that barely beat the third-quarter buzzer to put the celebrating Bucks ahead 72-66, the Lakers' crowd was nearly silent.
After consecutive baskets by Boykins and Luc Richard Mbah a Moute put the Bucks ahead 82-72 with six minutes left, Milwaukee's game was encapsulated on the next possession: Salmons was faked to the floor by Bryant, yet still managed to strip the ball from Bryant in a seated position when the Lakers superstar drove past him.
Andrew Bynum had six points and three rebounds in 18 minutes off the bench in his first home appearance since Game 7 of last season's NBA finals. The center was slow to recover from offseason surgery on his troublesome right knee, only returning during the Lakers' road trip.
