On Thursday night the Lakers beat the Bulls, 142-130, thanks to an outstanding performance from Luka Dončić.
The Slovenian superstar passed the 50-point mark for the first time with Los Angeles, recording 51 points on 17-for-31 shooting from the floor along with 10 rebounds and nine assists. The breakout night could not have happened at a better time for the Lakers. Chicago kept it close throughout because the Lakers’ defense wasn’t operating at nearly as high a level as the offense, but the purple and gold need every win they can get in a tight Western Conference playoff picture, and Dončić delivered. The win was even sweeter as it came in LeBron James’s return to the lineup, quieting some lineup questions that had arisen in Hollywood of late.
