Rating Lakers Players vs. Bucks: Bronny Drops Career-High In Blowout Result

The injury-ravaged Los Angeles Lakers were overwhelmed by the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday night, falling 118-89 and seeing their nine-game home winning streak snapped. Missing their top four scorers—Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, LeBron James, and Rui Hachimura—the Lakers struggled to generate offense, with Dalton Knecht (17 points) and Gabe Vincent (9 points) shooting just 8-for-26 combined. 

Despite the absences, rookie Bronny James provided a bright spot, scoring a career-high 17 points and reaching double figures for the first time in 22 NBA games. However, the Lakers never recovered after Milwaukee closed the first quarter on a 20-5 run. 

Giannis Antetokounmpo led the Bucks with 28 points, while Gary Trent Jr. capitalized on the Lakers’ depleted roster, scoring 23 off the bench and hitting six of Milwaukee’s 11 three-pointers. A late first-half sequence summed up the night for Los Angeles—after an extended possession resulted in an empty trip, Trent buried a three on the other end to push the Bucks’ lead back to 11 at halftime. 

With their roster thinned out and their schedule unrelenting, the Lakers struggled to keep pace, dropping their first home game in nearly a month. Let’s provide a rating for every Lakers player. 

Bronny James: B

Stats: 17 PTS, 3 REB (0 OREB, 3 DREB), 5 AST, 0 STL, 1 BLK, 4 TO, 4 PF, 7-10 FG, 2-4 3PT, 1-1 FT, -36, 30 MIN

In what was easily the best game of his young career, Bronny James provided a rare bright spot for the depleted Lakers. His 17 points came on an efficient 7-for-10 shooting, and he showed impressive poise as a playmaker, dishing out five assists. However, his four turnovers and defensive struggles—evidenced by his game-worst -36 plus/minus—highlighted the growing pains of an inexperienced player thrust into a major role.

Dalton Knecht: B-

Stats: 17 PTS, 4 REB (0 OREB, 4 DREB), 3 AST, 1 STL, 0 BLK, 3 TO, 0 PF, 5-14 FG, 3-6 3PT, 4-5 FT, -10, 31 MIN

Knecht led the Lakers in shot attempts, and while his efficiency wasn’t great (5-for-14), he was one of the few consistent offensive threats for L.A. He knocked down three three-pointers and got to the line five times, helping keep the game respectable early. His lack of defensive impact, though, was felt as Milwaukee relentlessly attacked the paint.

Jordan Goodwin: C+

Stats: 8 PTS, 8 REB (1 OREB, 7 DREB), 5 AST, 1 STL, 2 BLK, 3 TO, 0 PF, 3-8 FG, 2-3 3PT, 0-0 FT, -18, 31 MIN

Goodwin filled up the stat sheet with eight points, eight rebounds, five assists, and two blocks, showing his usual defensive tenacity. His hustle was commendable, but his three turnovers and 3-for-8 shooting didn’t do much to help the Lakers’ struggling offense. His ability to contribute in multiple ways kept him on the floor, even in a lopsided game.

Jaxson Hayes: C+

Stats: 9 PTS, 5 REB (0 OREB, 5 DREB), 3 AST, 0 STL, 0 BLK, 1 TO, 4 PF, 4-5 FG, 0-1 3PT, 1-2 FT, -5, 16 MIN

Hayes was efficient offensively, making four of his five field goals, but his lack of rim protection hurt the Lakers against a Bucks team that relentlessly attacked inside. He showed some nice passing ability with three assists but picked up four fouls in just 16 minutes, limiting his impact.

Alex Len: C+

Stats: 10 PTS, 9 REB (4 OREB, 5 DREB), 1 AST, 1 STL, 0 BLK, 3 TO, 4 PF, 4-7 FG, 1-2 3PT, 1-4 FT, -4, 17 MIN

Len provided a solid presence on the glass, grabbing nine rebounds in just 17 minutes, and even knocked down a rare three-pointer. However, his inability to defend in space was exposed, and his struggles at the free-throw line (1-for-4) limited his overall effectiveness. His physicality was useful, but he couldn’t keep up with Milwaukee’s pace.

Markieff Morris: C

Stats: 9 PTS, 4 REB (1 OREB, 3 DREB), 2 AST, 0 STL, 1 BLK, 0 TO, 2 PF, 3-11 FG, 1-7 3PT, 2-2 FT, +7, 28 MIN

Morris had a tough shooting night, going just 3-for-11 from the field and 1-for-7 from deep. His veteran presence helped stabilize the second unit at times, but his inefficiency kept him from making a bigger impact. Defensively, he didn’t do much to slow down Milwaukee’s attack, though he did register a block.

Gabe Vincent: C

Stats: 9 PTS, 2 REB (0 OREB, 2 DREB), 4 AST, 0 STL, 0 BLK, 2 TO, 4 PF, 3-12 FG, 2-7 3PT, 1-2 FT, -6, 25 MIN

Vincent had an off night offensively, finishing just 3-for-12 from the field, but he at least kept firing, hitting two three-pointers. His four assists showed his ability to facilitate, but two turnovers and a lack of defensive impact made for an underwhelming performance. With so many stars out, the Lakers needed more from him.

Shake Milton: C

Stats: 4 PTS, 6 REB (4 OREB, 2 DREB), 3 AST, 0 STL, 0 BLK, 2 TO, 6 PF, 2-6 FG, 0-1 3PT, 0-0 FT, -37, 23 MIN

Milton had a quiet night offensively, scoring just four points, but he contributed with six rebounds and three assists. His effort on the boards was noticeable, particularly with four offensive rebounds, but he struggled with turnovers (two) and fouls (six), limiting his ability to stay on the floor.

Trey Jemison III: C

Stats: 4 PTS, 5 REB (2 OREB, 3 DREB), 0 AST, 0 STL, 0 BLK, 1 TO, 1 PF, 2-3 FG, 0-0 3PT, 0-0 FT, -19, 16 MIN

Jemison provided solid energy in limited minutes, grabbing five rebounds and scoring four points on efficient shooting. His physicality was useful against Milwaukee’s bigs, but he didn’t offer much rim protection or spacing, limiting his overall impact.

Cam Reddish: C

Stats: 2 PTS, 4 REB (2 OREB, 2 DREB), 0 AST, 2 STL, 0 BLK, 0 TO, 0 PF, 1-6 FG, 0-1 3PT, 0-0 FT, -17, 22 MIN

Reddish struggled mightily with his shot, going just 1-for-6 from the field, but he still found ways to contribute defensively, grabbing four rebounds and recording two steals. His effort on that end was noticeable, but the Lakers needed more scoring from him, especially with so many offensive weapons sidelined. 

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