MILWAUKEE – Damian Lillard scored 41 points and the Milwaukee Bucks overcame the absence of Giannis Antetokounmpo to rally past the Los Angeles Clippers 113-106 on Monday night for their sixth straight victory.
Antetokounmpo missed his third game of the season as he deals with left Achilles tendinitis. The only other times he sat out were a Nov. 15 win at Toronto with a strained right calf and a Jan. 17 loss at Cleveland with a bruised right shoulder.
Bucks coach Doc Rivers said before the game that the Achilles issue had been “on and off for the last two or three games.”
Milwaukee is hot enough right now to win even without its two-time MVP.
The Bucks are unbeaten since the All-Star break as they get ready to begin a four-game trip to California that starts Wednesday at Golden State and includes a rematch with the Clippers on Sunday.
Bobby Portis scored 14 of his 28 points in the fourth quarter and finished with a season-high 16 rebounds. Patrick Beverley added 12 points and sparked the winning rally.
James Harden and Paul George scored 29 points each for the Clippers. Kawhi Leonard added 16 points.
After trailing by 13 in the final minute of the third quarter, the Bucks scored 10 straight points to get back within striking distance. They finally tied the game at 96 on Beverley’s 3-pointer with 4:33 left.
On the Clippers’ ensuing possession, Beverley stole the ball from Harden to set up Lillard’s driving layup with 4:10 remaining that gave the Bucks their first lead since the opening period.
After Brook Lopez blocked Leonard’s driving layup attempt, A.J. Green hit a deep 3-pointer to make it 101-96. Portis scored the last four points of the 12-0 surge that put the Bucks ahead for good.
The Clippers got the lead down to five with 1:31 left, but Portis scored five straight points to restore the double-digit margin and the Bucks didn’t look back.
UP NEXT
Clippers: Visit the Houston Rockets on Wednesday.
Bucks: Begin a four-game trip Wednesday at Golden State.
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