NBA: Bulls rout Lakers, spoil LeBron James’ return
Chicago Bulls guard Coby White (0) hits a 3-pointer in front of Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James as the bench celebrates in the second half of an NBA basketball game Saturday, March 22, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Wally Skalij)
Coby White, Matas Buzelis and Josh Giddey led the hot-shooting Chicago Bulls to a 146-115 win over the host Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday night, spoiling the returns of LeBron James and Rui Hachimura.
White finished with 36 points on 12-of-17 shooting from the field, making 6-of-9 attempts from 3-point range for Chicago (31-40). Buzelis, a rookie, added 31 points on 12-of-18 shooting.
Giddey perhaps one-upped them both, notching his 15th career triple-double by tallying 15 points, 17 assists and 10 rebounds. Giddey was also a decisive factor on defense with eight steals.
READ: NBA: Bronny James sets new highs in Lakers’ loss to Bucks
White & Buzelis shined bright under the lights in LA 🤩
White: 36 PTS | 2 STL | 6 3PM
Buzelis: 31 PTS (career-high) | 5 3PM (career-high)Bulls move to 7-2 in their last 9 😤 pic.twitter.com/ibhQkaXLn0
— NBA (@NBA) March 23, 2025
Luka Doncic led the way for the Lakers (43-27), scoring 34 points on 10-of-18 shooting, including 8 threes. Doncic scored 29 in the first half to keep it close briefly. Austin Reaves added 25 points on 9-of-13 shooting, while James chipped in 17 points on 7-of-16 shooting. He added six rebounds and four assists.
James played in his first game since leaving the Lakers’ 111-101 loss in Boston on March 8 with a groin injury. The Lakers went 3-4 in James’ absence, and they have lost six of their last nine overall.
Hachimura missed 12 games due to left patellar tendinopathy.
The Lakers pulled within a point on a James slam less than a minute into the second half. They couldn’t get over the hump, however, again falling behind by 11 with 8:23 remaining after the Bulls went on a 15-4 run. Chicago led by as many as 15, including taking a 104-89 lead into the fourth.
READ: NBA: Lakers’ LeBron James has ‘not much concern’ after groin injury
Down 126-103 with over six minutes remaining in the fourth, Lakers coach JJ Redick pulled his starters and subbed in a lineup of reserves, which included Bronny James.
Chicago controlled much of the first half. The Bulls led for all but a few seconds of the second quarter, pushing their lead to double-digits at 49-39 with 7:30 to play.
The Lakers brought the game back within three at halftime at 65-62. Doncic led the comeback, hitting four 3-pointers in the last five minutes.
Doncic finished the half 9-of-14 from the field overall and 7-of-10 from 3-point range. He finished the game with eight rebounds and six assists, but also was responsible for seven of the Lakers’ 21 turnovers.
