L.A. made it clear that it wasn't going to be competitive from the opening tip, as the Purple and Gold scored just 12 points and shot 5-of-21 from the field in the first quarter.
Things wouldn't get much better from there.
The Lakers didn't lead once on a night when they shot 36 percent from the field and 29 percent from three, and point guard Jordan Farmar was forced to leave the game after reaggravating his hamstring injury.
"I'm glad 2013 is over and I'm looking forward to the future," Nick Young said after the loss, according to ESPN's Dave McMenamin.
Brandon Knight led the Bucks with a career-high 37 points, eight rebounds and four steals.
This tweet from McMenamin summed up the kind of night it was at Staples Center:
Key Players
Pau Gasol, Center
After missing two games with an upper respiratory infection, Pau Gasol returned to the Lakers starting lineup on New Year's Eve.
And while the Lakers looked atrocious early—they started 0-of-11 from the field and went scoreless over the game's first seven minutes—Gasol gave the crowd a reason to (sarcastically) cheer when he converted on his fifth attempt of the game to hand the Lakers their first points.
It should be noted that while the hoop only cut the deficit to 12, it was a historic one:
The Spaniard did work his way into a groove slowly but surely, finishing with 25 points (9-of-23 shooting) and six rebounds in 36 minutes.
After a sluggish start, it was comforting to see Gasol operate as the und...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Los Angeles Lakers
