Just hours after being selected to his record 20th NBA All-Star team, LeBron James finished Thursday night’s game with 25 points and 12 assists as the Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Chicago Bulls 141-132.
Anthony Davis scored 22 points, D’Angelo Russell scored 29 points with eight 3-pointers, and Austin Reaves contributed 20 points and eight assists. The Lakers won their fourth straight game while making 60.9% of their shots.
After leading the Bulls by 39 points in the fourth quarter, Los Angeles maintained a 24-point lead after scoring a season-high 112 points through three quarters of play. Both the Lakers’ (141) and the Bulls’ (132) points scored were season highs.
The Bulls, who have dropped their opening two games of their three-game West Coast tour, were led by six players in double figures including Los Angeles native DeMar DeRozan, who scored 14 of his 32 points in the fourth quarter. Former Lakers guard Alex Caruso scored 17, Nikola Vucevic scored 20, and Coby White added 25 points.
After winning this game, the Lakers finished 23 days with just one game played outside of Los Angeles at 6-6. They’ll go on a six-game road trip over the following two weeks while their downtown venue is host to the Grammy Awards.
Russell fell one 3-pointer short of his career-high, despite not scoring in the fourth quarter, and he further complicated the Lakers’ choice on his future with another
excellent match before the trade deadline. Los Angeles must determine whether it can acquire enough in return to turn around its.500 season, especially if Russell can continue his current run of outstanding play. The point guard’s deal is quite flexible.
GET MORE NEWS HERE