The Milwaukee Bucks were unfazed by Giannis Antetokounmpo’s absence.

The Bucks won their sixth straight game on Monday night, coming back from a deficit to defeat the Los Angeles Clippers 113-106 behind 41 points from Damian Lillard. Due to left Achilles tendonitis, Antetokounmpo, the two-time MVP, was forced to sit out his third game of the year.

“I think it just shows who we’re becoming,” Lillard said.

As they prepare to embark on a four-game trip to California that begins on Wednesday at Golden State and includes a rematch with the Clippers on Sunday, the Bucks are undefeated since the All-Star break. For a club that had finished 3-7 in the first ten games under new coach Doc Rivers, it’s quite the comeback. 

Similar to how they have been winning without three-time All-Star Khris Middleton, who has missed 11 straight games due to a sprained left ankle, the Bucks triumphed on Monday sans Antetokounmpo.

“Nobody talked about who wasn’t playing before the game,” Lillard said. “It was literally like we were in the locker room, Doc didn’t come in there and say, ‘All right, Giannis is out. Khris is out.’ It was like, we went in there, we talked about the scouting report and what we needed to do to win the game, and that was it. I think that just shows what’s expected, the standard that we’re starting to have and who we’re becoming as a team.”

The Clippers were playing one night after winning 89-88 at Minnesota when they ran out of steam in the closing minutes. Paul George and James Harden each scored 29 points for the Clippers. Kawhi Leonard put in 16 more points.

The Bucks defeated the Clippers 23–10 in the closing five minutes of the game, overturning a 13–point deficit.

“When they went to that zone, I think we got a little jump shot-happy rather than keep attacking the basket and getting into the paint,” Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said. “I think we were in the bonus pretty early in the fourth quarter. They did a good job of going to the zone, and then we didn’t handle it well.”

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Not even the absence of Giannis Antetokounmpo could cool off the Milwaukee Bucks.

The Bucks won their sixth straight game on Monday night, coming back from a deficit to defeat the Los Angeles Clippers 113-106 behind 41 points from Damian Lillard. Due to left Achilles tendonitis, Antetokounmpo, the two-time MVP, was forced to sit out his third game of the year.

“I think it just shows who we’re becoming,” Lillard said.

The Bucks are unbeaten since the All-Star break as they get ready to begin a four-game trip to California that starts Wednesday at Golden State and includes a rematch with the Clippers on Sunday. It’s an impressive turnaround for a team that entered the break 3-7 in new coach Doc Rivers’ first 10 games.

The Bucks won without Antetokounmpo on Monday just as they’ve been winning without three-time All-Star Khris Middleton, who missed an 11th straight game with a sprained left ankle.

“Nobody talked about who wasn’t playing before the game,” Lillard said. “It was literally like we were in the locker room, Doc didn’t come in there and say, ‘All right, Giannis is out. Khris is out.’ It was like, we went in there, we talked about the scouting report and what we needed to do to win the game, and that was it. I think that just shows what’s expected, the standard that we’re starting to have and who we’re becoming as a team.”

James Harden and Paul George scored 29 points each for the Clippers, who ran out of gas down the stretch while playing one night after an 89-88 victory at Minnesota. Kawhi Leonard added 16 points.

The Bucks trailed by 13 in the last minute of the third period but won by outscoring the Clippers 23-10 over the final five minutes.

“When they went to that zone, I think we got a little jump shot-happy rather than keep attacking the basket and getting into the paint,” Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said. “I think we were in the bonus pretty early in the fourth quarter. They did a good job of going to the zone, and then we didn’t handle it well.”

Bobby Portis scored 14 of his 28 points in the fourth quarter and finished with a season-high 16 rebounds. He became the first NBA player this season to have at least 25 points and 15 rebounds while coming off the bench.

“Guys needed to step up in their roles,” Portis said. “I just feel like it was one of those times for me just to step up and be a little more aggressive than I probably was before.”

In addition to scoring 12 points, Patrick Beverley started the winning surge. With 4:33 remaining, his 3-pointer knotted the score at 96.

Beverley stole the ball during the Clippers’ next possession, setting up Lillard for a driving layup with 4:10 left to give the Bucks their first lead since the first quarter.

A.J. Green made a deep 3-pointer with Brook Lopez blocking Leonard’s driving layup attempt to make it 101-96. The final four points of the 15-0 run that put the Bucks ahead for good were scored by Portis.

With 1:31 remaining, the Clippers cut the advantage to five, but Portis scored five points in a row, and the Bucks never looked back.