Luka Doncic scored a game-high 45 points but could not prevent the Los Angeles Lakers from slumping to a third straight defeat in a 126-106 pounding by the Milwaukee Bucks in the NBA on Thursday.
Doncic, the Lakers' prime offensive weapon in the absence of the injured LeBron James, got off to an electrifying start at Milwaukee's Fiserv Forum, erupting for 29 points in the first half alone.
But Doncic was unable to sustain that incredible scoring pace through the second half as the Bucks tightened their defense and took control, outscoring the Lakers 31-19 in the third period to build a formidable 20-point lead heading into the fourth quarter.
That lopsided third frame proved decisive as Milwaukee closed out a victory that leaves them in fourth place in the Eastern Conference with a 37-28 record.
The Lakers meanwhile fell to 40-24 and remain fourth in the Western Conference after their third consecutive loss of a road trip that concludes with a daunting visit to Nikola Jokic's Denver Nuggets on Friday.
Austin Reaves backed Doncic with 28 points but only one other Lakers player -- rookie Dalton Knecht with 10 points -- managed to make double figures.
Milwaukee meanwhile had no such problems, spreading the scoring around with Giannis Antetokounmpo finishing with 24 points, Brook Lopez 23 and Damian Lillard and Kevin Porter Jr adding 22 points apiece.
Gary Trent Jr. also made a useful contribution for the Bucks with 16 points from the bench -- all from three-point range.
In other games on Thursday, the playoff-chasing Detroit Pistons crashed to an upset home defeat against the lowly Washington Wizards, the team with the worst record in the NBA who are languishing at the foot of the Eastern Conference with a 14-51 record.
A game that saw 17 lead changes finished 129-125 in favor of Washington thanks to the Wizards' all-round offensive potency. Seven Washington players made double figures with Alex Sarr leading the scoring with 19 points.
The loss leaves Detroit occupying the sixth and final automatic playoff berth in the Eastern Conference on 37-30, ahead of seventh-placed Atlanta who are 32-34.
In New Orleans, the Orlando Magic eased to a 113-93 victory over the Pelicans thanks to a dominant 34-point performance from Paolo Banchero, with Franz Wagner adding 27. Orlando improved to 31-36 with the win and are in eighth spot in the East, on course for a place in the play-in tournament.
In Chicago, the Bulls staged a fourth quarter rally to outscore the Brooklyn Nets 34-18 en route to a 116-110 win.
rcw/sev