Luka Doncic scores 51 as LA Lakers defeat Bulls on LeBron James return
Luka Doncic scored a Lakers career-high 51 points to lead Los Angeles to a 142-130 victory over the Chicago Bulls on Thursday, marking a successful return for LeBron James following a three-game injury absence.
The Slovenian playmaker delivered an offensive masterclass, eventually checking out late in the fourth quarter to a standing ovation.
His historic haul was supported by a remarkable collective effort from the hosts’ starting line-up, who combined for a staggering 137 points.
That tally represents the highest-scoring output by a starting five in a regulation NBA fixture since the 1970-71 season.
James returns to support starring cast
James had missed the previous three games with foot, elbow and hip issues, but adapted seamlessly to a supporting role upon his comeback.
The 41-year-old veteran finished with 18 points, seven rebounds and seven assists while deliberately taking a back seat to his team-mates.
“I know what I’m capable of still doing as an individual, but what’s important for this team, I’m able to adapt to.”
Lakers head coach JJ Redick praised this selfless approach, highlighting the forward’s desire to let his red-hot colleagues flourish.
Los Angeles now boast an 8-3 record this season when their all-time leading scorer is not one of the top two players in field goal attempts.
Reaves milestone fuels Western Conference surge
Austin Reaves continued his own spectacular form with a 30-point performance, exceeding the 25-point mark for the third consecutive outing.
The American guard also surpassed 5,000 career points during the contest, becoming just the 46th undrafted player in league history to achieve the feat.
Further offensive firepower was provided by Deandre Ayton and Rui Hachimura, who contributed 23 and 15 points respectively.
The victory secures a seventh win in eight matches for Los Angeles, propelling them to third place in the Western Conference standings with just 16 regular-season games remaining.
Doncic later revealed that a verbal exchange with 21-year-old Chicago forward Matas Buzelis provided the extra motivation for his scoring explosion.
“Somebody started talking to me, so that woke me up.”