The Los Angeles Lakers rode a dominant third quarter to a 142–130 victory over the Chicago Bulls on Thursday night, powered by a historic performance from Luka Dončić and a strong return from LeBron James.
Dončić scored 51 points, adding 10 rebounds and nine assists, marking his first 50-point game as a Laker since his blockbuster trade from Dallas in February 2025. It was his 13th 40-point game in 82 appearances for Los Angeles, moving him into ninth place in franchise history.
Austin Reaves contributed 30 points, while Deandre Ayton recorded 23 points and 10 rebounds for his 20th double-double of the season. The Lakers extended their winning streak to four games, their longest since a seven-game run from Nov. 14–30, and moved into third place in the Western Conference, passing the idle Houston Rockets.
LeBron James returned after missing three games due to a right hip contusion and left foot arthritis. He got off to a slow start, scoring his only first-half points on a layup and free throw with 54 seconds remaining, but caught fire in the third quarter, making all five of his field-goal attempts and totaling 11 points in the period.
Chicago remained competitive thanks to Josh Giddey, who scored 27 points, and Matas Buzelis
Up next: The Chicago Bulls visit the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday. The Los Angeles Lakers host the Denver Nuggets on Saturday
