LOS ANGELES -- The ball bounced the right way for the Milwaukee Bucks and allowed them to end a road drought against the Los Angeles Clippers.

Khris Middleton and Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 16 points apiece, and the Bucks held on to beat the Clippers 97-96 on Wednesday night.

Blake Griffin missed an off-balance jump hook in the lane just before the final horn to help the Bucks prevail. Milwaukee (33-34) ended an eight-game losing streak to the Clippers at Staples Center and won for the seventh time in eight games overall.

"Decent look. I wish we had two more seconds to let it develop a little bit," said Griffin, who finished with 18 points, seven rebounds and four assists. I got it up on the rim, which is what I was hoping for. It just didn't fall."

The Bucks' previous victory over the Clippers in Los Angeles came on Dec. 4, 2007.

Greg Monroe and Matthew Dellavedova chipped in 12 points each, and Malcolm Brogdon and Mirza Teletovic both scored 11 for Milwaukee. The win put the Bucks in the No. 7 position in the Eastern Conference playoff race, a half-game ahead of the Detroit Pistons.

"Thank God he missed that shot," Antetokounmpo said of Griffin. "We could be sitting in the locker room, being mad at each other and sad we lost the game. But I think we did a great job crowding (Griffin), and I didn't think he saw the basket. That's why he missed because he usually makes those shots."

DeAndre Jordan led the Clippers (40-28) with 22 points and 17 rebounds. J.J. Redick had 16 points, and Jamal Crawford had 14, including a four-point play late in the third quarter.

Point guard Chris Paul had an off night, finishing with six points, seven assists, five rebounds and six turnovers. Overall, the Clippers committed 16 miscues (resulting in 18 points) to 11 (resulting in one point) by the Bucks.

"I don't feel the weight of (tonight's loss)," Paul said. "I don't know if that's a good or a bad thing. I think we just got to keep playing and figure it out."

The Clippers dropped three games behind the Utah Jazz for the No. 4 spot in the Western Conference. Their lead over the Oklahoma City Thunder dwindled to 1 1/2 games.

The Clippers visit the Denver Nuggets on Thursday and will play without Griffin and Jordan, whom coach Doc Rivers will rest. Los Angeles will host the Cleveland Cavaliers on Saturday.

"I don't like sitting out, no matter what," Griffin said. "I know (Jordan) doesn't either. But at the end of the day, you do what's best for the team or what the team thinks is best for the team. It's kind of out of our hands a little bit."

Milwaukee took a 94-88 lead after Antetokounmpo made one of two free throws with 1:50 remaining. Redick's 3-pointer cut the gap to three, but Dellavedova countered with a trey to push the margin back to six with 1:16 left. That turned out to be the difference.

Jordan's dunk and three-point play with 30.1 seconds left sliced the deficit to 97-96.

Antetokounmpo missed a jumper with five seconds remaining before Griffin's final attempt.

The Bucks used a 9-2 run for 55-48 lead after a 3-pointer by Thon Maker less than three minutes into the third quarter. However, the Clippers answered with a 16-6 spurt for a 64-61 edge after two foul shots by Jordan with 2:46 remaining in the third.

Los Angeles led 69-67 heading into the fourth.

The Bucks swept the Clippers in the season series for the first time since the 1999-2000 campaign. The Bucks defeated the Clippers 112-101 on March 3 at Milwaukee.

Dellavedova said the Bucks were more physical against the Clippers, and that helped them win.

"If you let them push you around or if you let them run free, they are really tough to guard," Dellavedova said.

NOTES: Clippers coach Doc Rivers holds Bucks rookie G Malcolm Brogdon in high regard. Rivers and the Clippers worked out Brogdon before the NBA Draft last summer, and the former Virginia guard left quite the impression. "It's rare that a talented player's personality actually outshines his game. When you walked out of the interview with Brogdon, you're like 'My gosh, he should actually be running for president.' I actually made that statement. He's more qualified (than President Trump)," Rivers joked. ... Bucks G Michael Beasley (hyperextended left knee) missed his eighth consecutive game. ... Milwaukee plays the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday at Staples Center.