LeBron James scored 17 points, while Chicago Bulls’ Coby White led the score with 36 points in his team’s 146-115 victory.
The Chicago Bulls surprised the Los Angeles Lakers 146-115, ruining the return of superstar LeBron James from two weeks’ absence with a gro caliber injury.
The NBA’s all-time goal scorer James scored 17 points, six rebounds and four assists in 31 minutes on the court on Saturday.
Returning to activity after a break from ankle pain, Luka Donsic delved into eight three-pointers on his way to Team High 34 points, but he ran out of steam in the second half and no one stepped up.
The Austin Raves missed the action due to uncle trouble and scored 25 points. Louis Hachimura, who has played in a limited few minutes after missing 12 games due to a knee injury, scored five points for the Lakers, third in the Western Conference.
“It was certainly the worst our defense has seen in the last three months, perhaps all year long,” Lakers manager JJ Reddick said.
“We don’t know if we imagined it because everyone was back that it was going to be like it was three weeks ago. That’s not how this works.”
Chicago benefited from 21 Lakers turnovers and a big game from Coby White and Josh Giddy.
White made six three-pointers and led all the scorers with 36 points, while Australia’s Giddy delivered a triple double with 15 points, 10 rebounds and 17 assists.
Giddey also had 17 steels from eight Bulls. We’ve finished off two shy steals of rare quadruple bundles.
Rookie Matas Buzelis chipped with 31 points as the Bulls, ninth in the Eastern Conference, continued pushing to solidify their play-in tournament spot.
Meanwhile, the New York Knicks, third in the Eastern Conference, stopped a two-game slide in a 122-103 victory over the league’s worst Washington Wizard at Madison Square Garden.
The Knicks, who have struggled offensively in the absence of injured Jalen Branson, were led by 31 points and 11 rebounds from Karl Anthony Towns. Mikal Bridges added 27 points and OG Anunoby scored 23.
Milwaukee star Giannis Antetocomo scored 22 of 32 points in the third quarter as the Bucks gathered in a 114-108 victory over the Kings in Sacramento.
In Atlanta, the Hawks used a balanced offense to defeat the short-handed Golden State Warriors 124-115.
Trae Young scored 25 points and handed out 10 assists, while Onyeka Okongwu added 22 points and 12 rebounds to the Hawks.
The Warriors, who are stuck in sixth in the West and are trying to avoid play-in, were not with superstar guard Stephen Curry, who suffered from a pelvis injured in a severe fall on Thursday.
Jimmy Butler scored 25 points and Moses Moody added 20 points, but the Warriors effectively continued for the whole time.
NBA ranking updated! ️
▪§NYK (East #3), Ind (East #4), MIL (East #5), ATL (East #7), &Chi (East #9) All Win Pic.twitter.com/V02Wainri
– NBA (@NBA) March 23, 2025