Late Turnover Overshadows LeBron James’ 26-Point Night in Lakers’ Loss to Bucks
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The Los Angeles Lakers surrendered their first clutch defeat of the season on Jan. 9, 2026, falling 106-104 to the Milwaukee Bucks at Crypto.com Arena after a critical turnover by LeBron James in the closing seconds.
Trailing by two with 16.2 seconds remaining and holding two timeouts, the Lakers chose to play on. James drove from the perimeter, but Giannis Antetokounmpo reached from behind and knocked the ball loose. Kevin Porter Jr. corralled the steal, allowing Milwaukee to dribble out the clock.
“I turned the ball over… can’t turn the ball over, obviously,” James said afterward, crediting Antetokounmpo for the defensive play.
The giveaway capped a turbulent final minute for Los Angeles. Moments earlier, Luka Doncic fouled out while contesting a Porter three-point attempt, and the resulting free throws put the Bucks in front for good.
James, 41, finished with a team-high 26 points, nine rebounds and 10 assists, including 13 points in the fourth quarter. He acknowledged the Lakers’ slow start, noting the team “played more Laker basketball” after halftime but accepted that an unbeaten run in tight games was unlikely to last.
Doncic posted 24 points, nine rebounds and nine assists but shot 8-for-25 from the field and 4-for-8 at the line. “I think I missed the shots I usually make,” he said, calling the outing “a terrible day” for himself.
The Lakers now turn their attention to the remainder of their homestand after slipping to 0-1 in games decided in the final five minutes and within five points.
Source: Lakers Nation
