Los Angeles (United States) (AFP) – The Chicago Bulls stunned the Los Angeles Lakers 146-115 on Saturday, spoiling superstar LeBron James’s return from a two-week absence with a groin injury. The NBA’s all-time leading scorer James delivered 17 points, six rebounds and four assists in 31 minutes on court. Luka Doncic, back in action after resting a sore ankle, drilled eight three-pointers on the way to a team-high 34 points, but he ran out of steam in the second half and no one else stepped up. Austin Reaves, who had also missed action with ankle trouble, scored 25 points. Rui Hachimura, playing limited minutes after missing 12 games with a knee injury, scored five for the Lakers, who are third in the Western Conference.
“That was the worst our defense has looked maybe all year, certainly in the last three months,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said. “I don’t know if we assumed because we had everybody back that it was just going to be like it was three weeks ago — that’s just not the way this works.” Chicago benefitted from 21 Lakers turnovers as well as big games from Coby White and Josh Giddey. White made six three-pointers and led all scorers with 36 points while Australia’s Giddey delivered a triple-double of 15 points, 10 rebounds and 17 assists. Giddey also had eight of the Bulls’ 17 steals — finishing two steals shy of a rare quadruple-double. Rookie Matas Buzelis chipped in 31 points as the Bulls, ninth in the Eastern Conference, continued their push to solidify a spot in the play-in tournament.
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The New York Knicks, third in the Eastern Conference, halted their two-game slide with a 122-103 victory over the league-worst Washington Wizards at Madison Square Garden. The Knicks, who have been struggling offensively in the absence of injured Jalen Brunson, were led by 31 points and 11 rebounds from Karl-Anthony Towns. Mikal Bridges added 27 points and OG Anunoby scored 23.
Milwaukee star Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 22 of his 32 points in the third quarter as the Bucks rallied for a 114-108 victory over the Kings in Sacramento. With star guard Damian Lillard nursing a calf injury, the Bucks were slow out of the blocks and the Kings, led by 22 points from DeMar DeRozan, pushed their 12-point halftime lead to 14 early in the third. But Antetokounmpo picked up the pace, and the Bucks sliced the deficit to three points going into the fourth. Gary Trent Jr. scored all 11 of his points off the bench in the final period to help Milwaukee complete the turnaround. Antetokounmpo added 17 rebounds and Brook Lopez chipped in 21 points for the Bucks, who kept the Indiana Pacers in their sights in the fight for fourth place in the East.
The Pacers held off a furious fourth-quarter surge by Brooklyn, hanging on for a 108-103 victory that pushed their winning streak to four games. Tyrese Haliburton, who missed the Pacers’ last three games with a sore back, did not miss a beat in his return, posting his 10th straight points and assists double-double with 16 points and 12 assists. Pascal Siakam scored 26 points and Myles Turner chipped in 22 for Indiana, who maintained a one-game lead over the fifth-placed Bucks. Trendon Watford scored 26 points off the bench to lead the Nets, who trailed by 20 through three quarters but cut the deficit to one with 4:30 left to play.
In Atlanta, the Hawks used a balanced attack to beat the short-handed Golden State Warriors 124-115. Trae Young scored 25 points and handed out 10 assists, while Onyeka Okongwu added 22 points and 12 rebounds for the Hawks, who have won six of their last eight as they jockey for play-in position. The Warriors, clinging to sixth place in the West and trying to avoid the play-in, were without superstar guard Stephen Curry, who suffered a bruised pelvis in a hard fall on Thursday. Jimmy Butler scored 25 points and Moses Moody added 20, but the Warriors trailed virtually all the way.
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