LeBron James made his long-awaited return for the Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday evening after a seven-game absence with a strained left groin.
However the Chicago Bulls ensured it was a depressing night for him after they picked up a formidable 146-115 victory on the highway.
The highest scorer in NBA historical past began at Crypto.com Area within the finale of the Lakers’ five-game homestand.
Luka Doncic scored 29 of his 34 factors within the first half and hit eight three-pointers, whereas James had 17 factors.
Neither famous person may do a factor to sluggish the Bulls, who scorched Los Angeles’ usually sturdy protection on the best way to their seventh win in 9 video games.
Chicago’s 146 factors had been 12 greater than the Lakers had allowed in any recreation this season.
LeBron James made his long-awaited return for the Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday evening
However the Chicago Bulls ensured it was a depressing night after they picked up a 146-115 victory
James was injured late within the Lakers’ loss at defending champion Boston on March 8.
The loss snapped an eight-game profitable streak that had propelled the Lakers into second place within the Western Convention, they usually misplaced three extra highway video games with out James earlier than rallying to win the primary three video games of their present homestand.
The 40-year-old James left the Lakers throughout their journey to get remedy, however he participated in a number of exercises over the previous week.
James was averaging 25.0 factors, 8.5 assists and eight.2 rebounds whereas enjoying in 58 of the Lakers’ first 69 video games throughout his record-tying twenty second NBA season.
Two video games earlier than his most up-to-date harm, he turned the primary participant in NBA historical past to attain 50,000 mixed factors within the common season and the playoffs.
Los Angeles additionally welcomed again beginning ahead Rui Hachimura from a 12-game absence with a knee harm earlier than the Lakers confronted the Bulls.
Hachimura is the Lakers’ fourth-leading scorer with 13.3 factors per recreation, and a precious two-way contributor.
‘Getting these two guys again, I do not know what the numbers are, however we have had a drop-off in our transition offense, and it is as a result of we have not had these two guys,’ coach JJ Redick stated.
James began in opposition to the Chicago Bulls within the finale of the Lakers’ five-game homestand
Los Angeles misplaced to Milwaukee on Thursday whereas Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves additionally sat out, leaving the Lakers with out 4 regular starters to play their sixth recreation in eight days.
Doncic and Reaves had been already cleared to return to the lineup in opposition to Chicago.
‘We simply have not had a variety of time with our full staff accessible,’ Redick stated.
‘We have needed to handle this all season lengthy, regardless of which iteration of this staff it has been. So I am excited for these final 13 video games to construct some continuity, construct some chemistry, and hopefully the best way we had been enjoying previous to the Boston recreation, we will form of get again to that.’
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