Bucks fall to Clippers after Giannis Antetokounmpo left with ankle injury

MILWAUKEE — DeAndre Jordan had 25 points and 22 rebounds to lead the Los Angeles Clippers past the Milwaukee Bucks 127-120 on Wednesday night.

Austin Rivers added 22 points and Lou Williams scored 19 for Los Angeles, which bounced back after a deflating loss to Minnesota on Tuesday night.

The Bucks lost All-Star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo to a right ankle sprain late in the first half. Antetokounmpo appeared to get hurt when he tripped over teammate Shabazz Muhammad under Milwaukee's basket. He stayed in the game for a brief period, but hobbled around the court while grimacing. He went to the locker room with about four minutes remaining in the second quarter and did not return.

Khris Middleton paced Milwaukee with 23 points. Jabari Parker added 20. Antetokounmpo, who had 37 points in a loss at Cleveland on Monday, had 12 points before departing.

The Bucks trailed by seven at the half. Playing without Antetokounmpo, the deficit grew to 14 by the end of the third quarter as the Clippers built a 97-83 lead. Los Angeles shot 6 of 10 from 3-point range in the quarter.

The Clippers maintained a double-digit lead for most of the fourth quarter until Milwaukee clawed close late. A layup by Middleton and Thon Maker's dunk off a turnover cut the lead to four with 1:14 remaining. Rivers then nailed a contested 3-pointer from the corner with the shot clock winding down to extend the lead to seven.

The Bucks got no closer than five in the final minute.

The Clippers shot 60 percent and used a late 13-0 to take a 38-24 lead after the first quarter. Jordan had 14 points and 10 rebounds in the quarter.

Tip-ins

Clippers: Jordan, whose streak of 15 or more rebounds ended at 10 games Tuesday night, tying a career best, pulled down 16 first-half boards, equaling the Bucks' team total. Tobias Harris showed no ill effects after battling the flu, even though coach Doc Rivers expressed regret about playing him in Tuesday's loss at Minnesota. "The way we played, you second-guess," Rivers said. "I wish we wouldn't have played him, but he says he feels better."

Bucks: G Brandon Jennings was signed to a second 10-day contract. Jennings, Milwaukee's first-round pick in the 2009 draft, appeared in each of the Bucks' four games after signing his first 10-day contract on March 11. ... C Tyler Zeller returned after missing two consecutive games with sore ribs.

Up next

Clippers: At Indiana on Friday in the teams' first meeting this season.

Bucks: At Chicago on Friday. Milwaukee has lost two of three games to the Bulls.