LeBron James had 25 points and 12 assists a few hours after being named to his record 20th NBA All-Star team and the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Chicago Bulls 141-132 on Thursday night.
D’Angelo Russell hit eight 3-pointers and scored 29 points, Anthony Davis had 22 points and Austin Reaves added 20 points and eight assists. The Lakers hit 60.9% of their shots in their fourth win in six games.
Los Angeles racked up a season-high 112 points through three quarters and took a 24-point lead that kept it safe during the Bulls’ 39-point fourth quarter. The Lakers’ 141 points were a season high, as were the Bulls’ 132.
Los Angeles-area native DeMar DeRozan scored 14 of his 32 points in the fourth to lead six scorers in double figures for the Bulls, who have lost the first two on their three-game West Coast trip. Coby White added 25 points, Nikola Vucevic had 20 and former Lakers guard Alex Caruso had 17.
With this victory, the Lakers went 6-6 to wrap up a 23-day stretch in which they had just one game outside Los Angeles. They’ll spend the next two weeks on a six-game road trip while the Grammy Awards take over their downtown arena.
Although Russell didn’t score in the fourth, he finished one shy of his career-high in 3-pointers, and he continued to complicate the Lakers’ decisions on his future with another outstanding game ahead of the trade deadline. The point guard’s contract is highly moveable, but Los Angeles must decide whether it can get enough in return to shake up its .500 season – particularly if Russell can keep up this recent stretch of spectacular play.
Third time hitting 20+ 3s in franchise history 🔥@MichelobULTRA | #UltraMoment pic.twitter.com/76hAV6oA7d
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) January 26, 2024
LeBron James keeps making history
James became the first 20-time All-Star in NBA history earlier Thursday, surpassing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar‘s record. James, who topped Abdul-Jabbar as the leading scorer in league history last season, will also start his 20th All-Star Game.
The Lakers jumped to a 73-57 halftime lead with a spectacular 42-point second quarter, hitting 15 of their 18 shots in their best shooting quarter of the season.
Before the game, Bulls coach Billy Donovan said star guard Zach LaVine will be out for at least another week before his ankle injury is re-evaluated. The UCLA product was frequently linked with the Lakers in trade rumors earlier this season.
