Bronny James led the Lakers with 17 points (7-of-10 FGs), three rebounds, five assists, one block and two three-pointers in a 118-89 loss to the Bucks on Thursday.

The Lakers played this game without six key rotation players, including four starters. The game got out of hand quickly, as expected, which allowed Bronny to take on a larger role. He took advantage of the opportunity against a good team, and while it wasn’t a perfect game, it was the best of his career. It is unlikely that he gets another chance like this before the final week of the regular season, depending on how the standings play out. However, it was an encouraging performance for a young player that has faced a lot of criticism.