Luka Dončić delivered a dominant all-around performance, scoring 46 points while adding 11 assists and seven rebounds as the Los Angeles Lakers cooled off the Chicago Bulls with a 129–118 victory Monday night.
LeBron James contributed 24 points, scoring 20 before halftime, as the Lakers improved to 3–1 on their eight-game road trip. Rui Hachimura was nearly flawless offensively, finishing with 23 points on 9-of-11 shooting.
The win was a measure of payback for Los Angeles, which had been swept by Chicago in last season’s two-game series — including a stunning 119–117 loss at the United Center on Josh Giddey’s half-court buzzer-beater.
Chicago entered the night red-hot, having won four straight games and five of six overall, and leaned again on its perimeter shooting. The Bulls went 18-for-49 from three-point range, marking their fifth consecutive game with at least 17 made threes.
Coby White led Chicago with 23 points, while Ayo Dosunmu added 20. Nikola Vučević posted a double-double with 18 points and 11 rebounds, and Giddey chipped in 19 as six Bulls finished in double figures.
Los Angeles appeared in control early, using a 25–6 run spanning the first and second quarters to build a commanding lead. James’ fast-break dunk pushed the advantage to 51–37 midway through the second quarter.
The Bulls responded before halftime with a 7–0 burst to trim the deficit to 69–56 at the break. Dončić had already piled up 17 points and eight assists in the opening half.
Chicago continued its push in the third quarter and pulled within one at 81–80 on Vučević’s free throws with 6:42 remaining. But the Lakers answered immediately.
Marcus Smart sparked the response with a three-point play, followed by free throws from Dončić and a corner three from Hachimura to restore breathing room. Dončić then took over completely.
The superstar guard poured in 20 points in the third quarter alone, shooting 6-for-9 from the floor. His late three-pointer and free throw sent Los Angeles into the fourth with a 104–89 lead, effectively halting Chicago’s momentum.
The Lakers never looked back, shooting an efficient 56% overall (46-of-82) and knocking down 16 of 33 attempts from beyond the arc. Their offensive balance and Dončić’s shot-making proved too much for the Bulls to overcome.
With the win, Los Angeles continued its strong road stretch and showed resilience after allowing Chicago briefly back into the game. Chicago, meanwhile, saw its winning streak snapped but remained dangerous with its volume three-point shooting.
