LeBron James made his return on Saturday after missing six games, just as the Lakers faced the Chicago Bulls—a team fighting for a Play-In spot.
But the game didn’t go as planned, raising fresh concerns about the duo’s chemistry and what it means for the Lakers’ postseason hopes.
The Lakers, led by LeBron and Luka Doncic, have leaned heavily on Doncic during James’ absence. The pairing, formed unexpectedly in February, has shown promise—especially with Doncic winning over fans in recent weeks.
James feels the effects of time off in frustrating loss
James scored 17 points in 31 minutes but admitted he’s still working his way back to form.
“Felt a bit off, a bit rusty, but it felt good to be back on the court,” James said.
He didn’t confirm whether the injury is fully healed, raising questions with only 12 games left in the regular season. The Lakers (43-27) now trail the Houston Rockets by 2.5 games for the No. 2 seed.
“I’m just taking it one day at a time. I can’t stress about what’s ahead,” he said. “I made it through today. I’ll get some treatment tomorrow, maybe even a bit on the flight. It’s a long trip to Orlando. Once we’re there, I’ll prepare for Monday. I hope this injury is behind me, but I’m not trying to look too far ahead.”
Bulls dominate second half, expose Lakers’ struggles
The matchup turned into a lopsided defeat for Los Angeles, as Chicago ran away with a 146-115 win at Crypto.com Arena. The Bulls exploded in the second half, outscoring the Lakers 81-53, while forcing 21 turnovers and converting them into 27 points.
Chicago’s fast-paced offense also tallied 30 fast-break points, in sharp contrast to L.A.’s eight.
Coby White led the charge for the Bulls with 36 points, while rookie Matas Buzelis added a career-high 31. Josh Giddey came close to a rare quadruple-double, finishing with 15 points, 17 assists, 10 rebounds, and eight steals.
For the Lakers, Luka Doncic poured in 34 points—29 of them coming in the first half—alongside eight rebounds and six assists. Austin Reaves added 25 points on efficient shooting. LeBron, in his first game back, managed 17 points in 31 minutes but admitted he wasn’t quite at full strength.
