DeMar DeRozan led the Chicago Bulls with 27 points, nine assists, and seven rebounds to a 124-108 victory over LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers during Wednesday night’s NBA action. The Bulls demonstrated impressive shooting, hitting 54.5% from the field, with eight players scoring in double figures.
Coby White contributed 17 points, while Ayo Dosunmu added 14 off the bench. Nikola Vucevic recorded his 16th double-double of the season with 13 points and 10 rebounds. Reflecting on the team’s early-season struggles at 5-14 through 19 games but have gone 7-3 since Zach LaVine’s injury, DeRozan mentioned the importance of facing challenges to build stronger team dynamics.
“We were going through it,” DeRozan said. “Sometimes you’ve got to go through it so you can find a different type of motivation that you can come together with. The best relationships come out of that.”
Despite missing All-Star guard Zach LaVine due to a foot injury and forward Torrey Craig sidelined with a plantar fascia injury, the Bulls started their six-game homestand positively, marking their third win in four games. Coach Billy Donovan acknowledged the impact of LaVine’s absence but remained hopeful for his return.
“Anytime you lose a really, really great player, and a talented player, gifted player like Zach, I think it always hurts you,” Donovan said. “I’m certainly hopeful when he gets himself healthy, he can get back to where he was. I think with what he was dealing with his foot for a long period of time, I’m not so sure that he was ever right.”
NBA NEWS & SCORES: LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers, DeMar DeRozan, Chicago Bulls Updates
LeBron James led the Lakers with 25 points, 10 rebounds, and nine assists, narrowly missing another triple-double. Anthony Davis, playing in his hometown, added 19 points and 14 rebounds. However, the Lakers continued their struggling form, losing four of their last five games since winning the NBA In-Season Tournament.
The Lakers managed to cut down an 18-point deficit to just two in the third quarter but couldn’t surpass the Bulls’ lead. Davis emphasized the need for the team to rally together and find ways to win.
“We all hate losing,” Davis said. “There’s no break coming. No help coming. There’s no cavalry. We’ve got to do it within this locker room. We’ve got everyone back now. We just got to find a way to get in the win column.”
NBA NEWS & SCORES: LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers, DeMar DeRozan, Chicago Bulls Updates
The Bulls have excelled in perimeter shooting in LaVine’s absence, averaging over 14 3-pointers per game in their last 10 contests. This improvement in shooting, according to White, is due to the team playing faster and taking advantage of transition opportunities.
“Playing a lot faster has opened up a lot for us in that regard,” White said. “Transition 3s and not playing against a set defense.”
Despite an initial surge by James, the Bulls built a significant lead in the second quarter, propelled by their success in shooting threes. Alex Caruso was one of four Bulls players to hit three or more 3-pointers, contributing 15 points to the win.
NBA NEWS & SCORES: LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers, DeMar DeRozan, Chicago Bulls Updates
The Bulls maintained their lead throughout the game, heading into halftime with a six-point advantage and never trailing after the early minutes of the first quarter.
Looking ahead, the Lakers will face the Minnesota Timberwolves, while the Bulls host the San Antonio Spurs, both games scheduled for Thursday night.
