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Dave McMenamin
Multiple authors
LOS ANGELES — Luka Doncic scored 51 points on Thursday, his highest ever with the Lakers, and Los Angeles beat the Chicago Bulls 142-130 in LeBron James’ return from a three-game absence.
“It’s a special feeling,” said Doncic, who exited late in the fourth quarter to a standing ovation while James called on the crowd to cheer louder. “Obviously, to have a 50-point game here is pretty special.”
James scored 18 points on 7-for-13 shooting with seven rebounds and seven assists, and all five Lakers players scored in double figures as the Los Angeles A’s scored 137 points, the most by a starting lineup in a regulation game since the 1970-71 season, according to ESPN research. Austin Reeves (30 points), Deandre Ayton (23 points) and Rui Hachimura (15 points) also scored.
Lakers coach JJ Redick said it was a deliberate team-first approach and an example of sacrifice on the part of James, who has seen Los Angeles win three straight games while the 41-year-old is sidelined with foot, elbow and hip injuries.
“LeBron and I have talked and had a great conversation over the last couple of days,” Redick said. “He wants to do everything possible to help his team win, and he understands the importance of making sure that Luka and Real Madrid can be at their best. And you know, that’s unbelievable with him.
“He talks a lot about how much he cares about this team and his teammates, and how much he wants to win.”
Did James consider playing this way a sacrifice?
“I mean, if it’s good for other people, it’s good for the team. The team is what’s most important,” he said. “Everyone succeeds when we win. So, yeah, it’s a sacrifice. I know what I can still do as an individual, but what’s important for this team, I’m able to adapt to it. … And that’s the only thing that matters. And winning is the only thing that matters.”
Los Angeles is 8-3 this season when James isn’t one of the team’s best players on field goal attempts, according to ESPN research.
This is the seventh victory for the Lakers in the last eight games, as they rose to third place in the Western Conference standings with 16 games remaining in the regular season.
As solid as James was against Chicago, that uptick was largely due to Doncic and Reeves reaching another level.
“R and Luka, offensively, were magical and dynamic,” James said.
Doncic, who barely missed a triple-double with 10 rebounds and nine assists, said the bulls-eye was thanks to 21-year-old Chicago forward Matas Bozlis.
“Someone started talking to me, so that woke me up,” Doncic said of Bozlis. “I won’t say what he said, but if I say it, I will definitely get the technology.”
Meanwhile, Reeves scored more than 25 points for the third straight game, his longest streak since late November before suffering a left calf strain that sidelined him for more than a month from late December through early February. Reeves also topped 5,000 career points on Thursday, becoming the 46th undrafted player in league history to reach that plateau.
“Obviously I have a false confidence in myself when it comes to basketball,” Reeves said. “But when the game is over and I have to go home and think about it, I don’t really think of myself in the category of some of these other players. But I just enjoy playing basketball, playing the right way and continuing to get better.”
And the Lakers appear to be improving as a group at the right time.
“Every game is important, and the way you approach the game is important,” James said. “I mean it’s the middle of March. The postseason is a month away, so it should be (now).”
“It’s definitely the right moment (to play better). But obviously we have to keep doing it. If we relax now, it won’t be worth (anything). So we have to keep doing the same thing,” Doncic said.
