Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James made his return to the lineup for the primary time in almost two weeks.
It wasn’t fairly.
With James again on the court docket alongside Luka Dončić, the Lakers gave up their most factors all season in a 146-115 loss to the Chicago Bulls. By halfway via the fourth quarter, Lakers coach JJ Redick had seen sufficient and emptied his bench.
Dončić scored 17 factors within the first quarter and 29 by halftime. He completed with 34 factors to go along with eight rebounds, six assists and 7 turnovers. James had 17 factors, six rebounds and 5 turnovers in 31 minutes.
Bulls guard Josh Giddey almost posted a quadruple-double with 15 factors, 10 rebounds, 17 assists and eight steals. It could have been the primary quadruple-double within the NBA in almost 30 years.
Josh Giddey virtually posted a QUADRUPLE DOUBLE within the Bulls’ win vs. the Lakers 😱
Giddey’s potential quadruple double would’ve been the primary since David Robinson in 1997 😮💨 pic.twitter.com/WTyDMMii1G
— Yahoo Sports activities (@YahooSports) March 23, 2025
The Lakers totaled 21 turnovers as Chicago shot 58.3% from the sphere and made 19 of 41 3-pointers.
After initially being thought of a game-time choice, the Lakers confirmed on Saturday evening that James would play in opposition to the Bulls. James had been out since March 8 with a groin pressure.
James was initially listed as questionable, however deliberate to heat up and be a game-time choice. James started on-court exercises final Sunday, and ESPN’s Shams Charania stated the workforce can be cautious together with his return.
It has been an up-and-down expertise for the Lakers since shedding James — beginning energy ahead Rui Hachimura additionally returned Saturday after being sidelined with a knee harm — and the route has principally relied on Luka Dončić. They’re 3-1 in video games since James’ harm when Dončić performs, with the lone loss being in opposition to the Milwaukee Bucks wherein their total beginning frontcourt was out. They’re 0-2 within the video games Dončić has missed.
The Lakers have been coming off one other blowout loss Thursday wherein Austin Reaves was out along with James, Dončić and Hachimura. That group represents the Lakers’ prime 4 scorers. Not coincidentally, James’ son Bronny posted a profession excessive in factors with 17 in that recreation.
With solely 12 video games left on their regular-season schedule, Los Angeles wants its gamers to get wholesome quickly if it needs an opportunity to play collectively earlier than the NBA playoffs start.
In 58 video games getting into Saturday, James was averaging 25 factors, 8.2 rebounds and eight.5 assists whereas capturing 52% from the ground (and 38% on 3-pointers). He’d scored 25 or extra factors in eight of his earlier 10 video games whereas the Lakers had gained eight consecutive contests earlier than their March 8 loss to Boston.
The Lakers are 43-27 and sit in fourth place within the Western Convention.
