Luka Doncic put up 45 points, but the Los Angeles Lakers couldn’t overcome the Milwaukee Bucks’ balanced offense, suffering a 126-106 defeat on Thursday.

The loss marked the Lakers’ third straight and kept them in fourth place in the Western Conference.

With LeBron James sidelined, Doncic carried the Lakers early, scoring 29 points in the first half at Milwaukee’s Fiserv Forum. However, the Bucks locked down defensively in the second half, outscoring the Lakers 31-19 in the third quarter to pull away.

Giannis Antetokounmpo led Milwaukee with 24 points, Brook Lopez added 23, and Damian Lillard and Kevin Porter Jr. each contributed 22. Gary Trent Jr. made an impact off the bench, hitting five three-pointers on his way to 16 points.

Luka Doncic became only the 3rd player in Lakers franchise history to record 45+ points, 10+ rebounds, and 5+ 3-pointers in a single game.

Austin Reaves provided 28 points for the Lakers, but only rookie Dalton Knecht (10 points) joined him and Doncic in double figures. The Lakers, now 40-24, face a tough road test against the Denver Nuggets next. The Bucks improved to 37-28, maintaining fourth place in the Eastern Conference.

Elsewhere, the Washington Wizards stunned the Detroit Pistons 129-125 despite entering the game with the NBA’s worst record (14-51). Alex Sarr led Washington with 19 points, while seven Wizards players hit double figures. The loss left Detroit clinging to the East’s final automatic playoff spot at 37-30.

In New Orleans, Paolo Banchero’s 34 points guided the Orlando Magic to a 113-93 win over the Pelicans. Franz Wagner added 27 as Orlando strengthened its play-in position.

The Chicago Bulls rallied in the fourth quarter to defeat the Brooklyn Nets 116-110, outscoring them 34-18 in the final frame.