Wizards stand up to Bucks but don’t have the means to pull off an upset

MILWAUKEE — It won’t reflect in the results column, but for certain teams, in certain years, there exists such a thing as a good loss. Even if it’s a team’s eighth straight.

The Wizards notched something that came as close as possible to a moral victory with a 131-128 defeat in Milwaukee on Friday. They dropped the game in large part because they lack experienced closers, as they also made painfully plain to see at Charlotte on Wednesday, when they gave up a 19-point lead in the fourth quarter.

The Bucks, meanwhile, have Damian Lillard, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Brook Lopez, who combined to score 101 points and make Friday the first time in franchise history three players have scored at least 30.

It was nonetheless one of Washington’s most complete efforts of the season, a calm, diligent and willful performance that took advantage of Milwaukee’s lacking defense, which ranks in the bottom third of the league, as well as Khris Middleton’s third-quarter departure due to tightness in his left Achilles’.

The Wizards look capable when they’re hitting from long range, and Corey Kispert led the charge with six three-pointers to add 20 points off the bench (the Wizards made 15 threes).

Jordan Poole led the team with 26 points on 9-for-20 shooting in his hometown, Tyus Jones had 22 points and Kyle Kuzma added another 22.

Solid shooting and strong rebounding meant they trailed by just one with 16 seconds left before Kispert fouled Antetokounmpo, who hit a pair of free throws to give the Bucks the lead for good. With Jones, Kispert and Kuzma on the floor, the ball swung to guard Landry Shamet in the corner on the next possession, and Shamet missed, but the Wizards had one last chance — Kispert fouled Pat Connaughton and he missed both free throws.

Kuzma made a driving layup with two seconds remaining and Lillard closed the game at the free throw line. Kuzma’s last-ditch three-pointer clanged off the back of the rim.

Lopez finished with 39 points. Lillard and Antetokounmpo had 31 points each. Still, the Bucks (11-5) never led by more than seven and Milwaukee outrebounded Washington just 50-46.

Down rookie Bilal Coulibaly, who was held out with a left knee contusion he suffered in Charlotte, the Wizards (2-13) built a solid base throughout the third quarter by putting themselves in position for success on the boards and defending without sending the Bucks to the free throw line much. Perhaps they weren’t as fazed after facing Milwaukee on Monday night at home, but they didn’t let the Bucks dictate the course of play in the first half, either. More likely it was Washington’s success at the three-point line — Kispert had five threes before the break.

In addition to Kispert’s hot shooting, he, along with Jones and Poole, found success driving hard to the basket when Washington needed it most in the third quarter. Deni Avdija pulled in just two points, five rebounds and five assists but made hustle plays on the defensive end. Shamet added 15 points off the bench.