NBA results: LA Clippers-Milwaukee Bucks 117-124

Dame Time in Los Angeles. Damian Lillard leads Milwaukee to a 124-117 win at the Clippers. He starts strong, finishes strong, making the difference with his triples in the final, finishing with 35 points and 11 assists. The Bucks (41-23 record) thus return to success after two consecutive defeats, imposing themselves for the second time in the seasonal series with the Clippers after last week’s home success, with reversed fields.

The Bucks don’t impress at all against a revamped opponent, without Kawhi Leonard, Paul George and Russ Westbrook, in fact Lopez looks old, the defensive flaws remain evident and Antetokounmpo alternates plays of athletic omnipotence with egregious errors in fundamentals and understanding of the game, but the victory is absolutely precious because it brings Milwaukee closer to second place in the Eastern Conference, it is now attached to Cleveland’s bumper, and because it was obtained on a difficult field against a prestigious opponent, the Clippers are fourth in the West and 22-9 in front of their own public.

CLIPPERS NEVER TAMED

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This remodeled version of Los Angeles performed a miracle in staying in the game until the final sprint, even going ahead at halftime. Powell and Zubac shone, the Clippers’ fresh and irreverent wingers, Mann, Hyland, Boston and Coffey, played with remarkable pace and intensity. Healthy team, physically and mentally. Certainly in the end the difference between the closer, between a twilight, somewhat melancholy Harden – he takes the same shots that once came his way, but he does so slower and more cumbersome and without them moving the retina – and Lillard, still at the top of his career , it was evident. And heartbreaking for those who support Barba. But Leonard and George were rested on the second evening of consecutive games, after the victory over Chicago, just as a precaution, in the next final matches they will be the offensive references. And Westbrook (fractured left hand and already operated on), unleashed on the bench as a fan, will be a protagonist in the playoffs, from the bench.

the match

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Tucker and Coffey in a quintet for coach Lue who, having a cold, trains with a mask as in times of pandemic. Middleton is close to returning, but still out of action for Doc Rivers. Lillard starts off strong: 4 triples scored in the first 6′, then Tucker scores his first basket since mid-November, off an offensive rebound. 33-29 Clippers after 12′. Los Angeles plays with more energy, Beasley doesn’t get one right. Gallinari enters at the beginning of the 2nd quarter and scores a triple from the corner. The blue player will play just 6 minutes, all concentrated in this period of play. 62-59 Clippers at half time. Californians with 11 offensive rebounds, a demonstration of their intensity. 12 points for Zubac, who feasts against Lopez. Then the team with more quality emerges as the minutes pass: a triple from Beasley makes it 88-80 for the guests. Boston’s dunk on the head of Giannis makes the Crypto.com Arena vibrate, but it’s 91-85 Milwaukee after 36 minutes. Powell is his team’s main offensive end, athletic, inspired, dangerous when shooting and penetrating. A triple from Hyland even makes it 98-96 Clippers, but the Bucks respond with a 7-0 run and in the final it becomes Dame Time: Lillard wins in the sprint, unstoppable. Implacable. Like many other times, once for Portland, now for Milwaukee.

Clippers: Powell 26 (6/7, 3/14, 5/6 TL), Zubac 18, Mann/Coffey 16. Rebounds: Coffey 10. Assists: Harden 11.

Milwaukee: Lillard 35 (4/6, 7/13, 6/7 TL), G. Antetokounmpo 34, Beasley 17. Rebounds: Portis 8. Assists: Lillard 11. GALLINARI 3 (1/1 from 3 points), +5 plus /minus in 6′.