Los Angeles — The offensively challenged Milwaukee Bucks got off their six-game Western trip off to an unsightly start Sunday night by getting blown out of the Staples Center, 95-77, by the Los Angeles Lakers.
The Bucks dug themselves into an 18-point hole in the first quarter and had trouble manufacturing points all night as their three-game winning streak ground to a halt.
The Bucks never led in the game.
"You could tell at the beginning that we weren't emotionally into it on the offensive end for whatever reason," coach Scott Skiles said.
"We weren't sharp. I don't know how many balls we shot short, but a lot were short. We looked a little star-struck offensively. Defensively, we were pretty sharp. We hung in for a while and then they just blew it open."
It doesn't get any easier for the Bucks who will continue their trip Monday night in Phoenix and will then move on to Portland, Golden State and Utah this week before ending the trip next week in Houston.
"Obviously, we have a huge, huge challenge coming up," said Skiles.
Reserve forward Hakim Warrick sparked a second-quarter rally and was high-point man for the Bucks with 14 points. Milwaukee shot 34.1%, got clobbered on the boards, and got to the foul line only 13 times and made 9 free throws.
"For a while it looked like we might set a franchise record for fewest points in a game," said Skiles. "We had such a hard time getting anything going. "
Bucks guard Michael Redd left the game late in the second quarter after hurting his left knee and went immediately to the locker room.
Redd, who missed all four of his shots and was scoreless, did not return. Skiles said afterward that the severity of the injury was not yet know.
Lakers center Andrew Bynum started strong and finished with 17 points and a career-high 18 rebounds. Reserves Shannon Brown and Jordan Farmar scored 19 and 17 points, respectively. The Lakers won on a night when Kobe Bryant scored 12 points on 4-of-21 shooting. The Lakers made 25 of 30 free throws.
The Bucks got off to a horrible start and found themselves behind after one quarter, 24-8. Bynum powered the Lakers with 12 points.
Bynum sank two short jumpers, scored twice on offensive rebounds, made two free throws, and threw down one thunderous dunk to propel the Lakers to a 22-4 lead.
The Lakers scored 15 straight points to attain that lead. The Bucks made two of their first 17 shots before Warrick ended the dry spell by sinking a short jumper to cut the lead to 22-6 with 2:10 left.
Warrick scored the Bucks first eight points of the second quarter and, along with Charlie Bell, sparked a 13-2 run that trimmed the lead to 28-23.
"Hakim came in and gave us a lift," said Skiles. "But it's a very difficult game to judge anybody individually because overall we played so poorly."
A pair of jumpers by Brown pushed the lead to nine and with the Bucks unable to make a shot, the Lakers led at halftime, 39-28.
The Lakers shot only 30.8% in the first half but made 15 of 17 free throws. The Bucks shot 28.8% and Warrick made their only two free throws. The Bucks starters scored four points in the first half on a combined 2 of 15 shooting.
A three-point basket by Derek Fisher gave the Lakers a 46-31 lead early in the third quarter. Bryant, who made 1 of 10 shots in the first half, began taking the ball aggressively to the basket and scored six straight Los Angeles points to give the Lakers a 52-37 lead. The Lakers led by 19 points after three quarters.
On to Phoenix.
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