EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — Andre Drummond’s first game with the Lakers ended with a limp.

The recently signed All-Star center left Wednesday’s game because of a toe injury as the Lakers lost to the Milwaukee Bucks, 112-97, at Staples Center.

Drummond wasn’t playing with great efficiency when he limped to the locker room before the midpoint of the third quarter. His right big toenail was apparently torn off after Milwaukee center Brook Lopez stepped on it in the first quarter, Drummond said after the game.

The toe bothered him at halftime and Drummond didn’t start the third quarter while examining it on the sideline. He had taken off his sock at that point and discovered the toenail was gone.

He eventually checked into the game and played less than two minutes before taking himself out. X-rays on the toe were negative. He finished with four points on two-for-six shooting with one rebound in 14 minutes.

“It’s unfortunate,” Lakers guard Wesley Matthews said of Drummond’s early exit. “I know he brings a lot of energy and he’s going to bring a lot to this team. It’s tough that we didn’t have him to the capacity that we would have liked tonight.”

Drummond was signed by the Lakers for the rest of the season after his contract was bought out by Cleveland last Friday. He hadn’t played a game since Feb. 12 and logged exactly one practice Tuesday with his new team before joining the starting lineup against Milwaukee.

He blocked a shot a minute into the game but didn’t have much effect beyond that. He had three turnovers, committed four fouls, and missed his only two free-throw attempts.

The Lakers’ next game is Friday in Sacramento. It is unclear if Drummond will play.

Wednesday’s game represented the first in a slew of tough ones for the Lakers, who now play seven consecutive road games against opponents that include Brooklyn, Miami, and the Clippers.

The Lakers made eight of their first 12 three-point shots against Milwaukee but tailed off badly and missed 22 of their last 24 attempts behind the arc. Kyle Kuzma made only one of nine from deep while finishing with 16 points.

Montrezl Harrell had 19 points as one of the few efficient options for the Lakers (30-18), who fell to only half a game ahead of Portland and Denver for fourth place in the Western Conference.

Bucks guard Jrue Holiday led all scorers with 28 points while Giannis Antetokounmpo added 25 for Milwaukee (30-17).