LA Clippers' Robert Covington has career night with key players out, drops 43 in win

Despite the fact that the Milwaukee Bucks and LA Clippers rested several starters and key players, Robert Covington still made Friday night's game a record-breaking one for the Clippers.

Taking advantage of the Clippers sitting four starters, Covington buried a franchise-record 11 3-pointers and scored a career-high 43 points to help the Clippers blow out the Bucks, 153-119 at Fiserv Forum. Covington's 11 triples matched the most made in a game in the NBA this season. He is the only player ever to have at least 43 points, 11 3-pointers, eight rebounds and three blocks in a game, according to the Clippers.

Even Giannis Antetokounmpo, who was watching while sitting the game out, admired Covington's career night. Covington had not scored more than 31 points or hit more than seven 3-pointers in his NBA career before Friday.

«My teammates, throughout the game, they were telling me out there they were trying to get me 50,» Covington said. «I came close.»

Covington added: «And even Giannis told me, 'Hey man, go for the record. I'm trying to see something.' I was going for it. I think this is the most 3s I've shot in a game in my career besides the G League.»

Covington made 11-of-18 3-point shots and had the green light with Paul George (elbow maintenance), Reggie Jackson (rest), Marcus Morris Sr. (left knee soreness) and Nicolas Batum (left ankle soreness) all sitting one night after L.A. (38-40) lost in overtime in Chicago. Teammate Amir Coffey also had a career night with a career-high 32 points, seven assists, six rebounds and four steals. Six out of the eight Clippers who played scored in double figures to help the team set a franchise record for most points scored in a regular-season game.

The Bucks, also playing the