Lakers slip to Bucks, 113-103, on second game of back-to-back

Bucks 113 - Lakers 103 (end of regulation)

The Lakers still haven’t won on consecutive nights, failing to sweep a back-to-back set for the 15th-straight time this season.

The Milwaukee Bucks got a career night from center Larry Sanders as they defeated the Lakers 113-103. Sanders scored a personal best 21 points on 8-11 shooting. He also helped shut the Lakers down, protecting the paint with two blocks and collecting 13 rebounds.

Steve Nash struggled with what appeared to be a stiff back, sitting out the final 17 minutes of the game after scoring 16 points in 23 minutes.

BOX SCORE: Bucks 113, Lakers 103

Kobe Bryant led all scorers with 30 points but shot just 6-17 from the field, doing most of his damage at the free-throw line (18-20). The Lakers hit 44.2% from the field while turning the ball over 18 times.

Dwight Howard shot just 3-10 from the line but notched a double-double with 15 points and 15 rebounds.

Brandon Jennings and Ersan Ilyasova had 20 each for Milwaukee who improved to 35-36. Monta Ellis came on strong late, scoring 18 points with a game-high nine assists.

The Lakers fall to 37-36, edging ever closer to the idle, ninth-place Utah Jazz (36-36) who have the head-to-head tiebreaker.

Bucks 82 - Lakers 77 (end of third quarter)

The Bucks won their second-straight quarter (29-21), pulling ahead by as many as eight points before the Lakers closed the gap to five.

Larry Sanders joined Kobe Bryant as the game’s leading scorers with 19 apiece. Brandon Jennings also contributed 17 with the Bucks shooting 46.5% from the field.

The Lakers turned the ball over 16 times, including six from Kobe Bryant and four from Steve Nash. The Lakers shot 50% from the field but were out-rebounded 33-27 (11-5 on the offensive glass).

Nash left the bench to get what appeared to be a tight back worked on in the locker room.

Lakers 56 - Bucks 53 (halftime)

After climbing to a 13-point lead, the Lakers finished the half up by just three over the Bucks. Jodie Meeks put the Lakers up 41-28 but Milwaukee finished the second on a 25-15 run.

Kobe Bryant led all scorers with 15 points but turned the ball over five teams. Steve Nash had 14 as the Lakers shot 51.4% from the field.

Brandon Jennings scored 11 points. Monta Ellis had eight with five assists. Forward Ersan Ilyasova chipped in 10 for the Bucks who shot 43.5% from the field.

Lakers 25 - Bucks 18 (end of first quarter)

The Lakers gave a strong effort in Milwaukee, holding the Bucks scoreless for the final four minutes of the first quarter.

Kobe Bryant scored 10 points, including the final eight of the period to lead the Lakers to a 25-18 advantage.

Dwight Howard sat after 6 1/2 minutes with two fouls hit all three of his field goal attempts and blocked three shots.

Ersan Ilyasova led the Bucks with seven points. The Lakers shot 50% from the field -- Milwaukee shot just 34.8%.

Pregame

The Lakers (37-35) visit the Milwaukee Bucks (34-36) on Thursday night.

Both teams played on Wednesday, the Lakers winning in Minnesota and the Bucks losing in Philadelphia. If the Lakers get a victory, it will be the first time all season they’ve won on back-to-back nights.

For a more in-depth breakdown, check out Preview: Lakers vs. Bucks.

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Email Eric Pincus at eric.pincus@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter @EricPincus.