NBA: Luka Doncic pours in 51 as Lakers top Bulls to extend win streak

Luka Doncic erupted for 51 points, grabbed 10 rebounds, and handed out nine assists, leading the Los Angeles Lakers to a 142-130 victory over the visiting Chicago Bulls on Thursday. Austin Reaves contributed 30 points as the Lakers extended their winning streak to four games.

Deandre Ayton added 23 points and 10 rebounds, LeBron James scored 18, and Rui Hachimura chipped in 15 as Los Angeles secured its sixth straight home win, moving into third place in the Western Conference.

This marked Doncic’s eighth career 50-point game and his first since joining the Lakers. He made 17 of 31 shots from the floor, including 9 of 14 from beyond the arc. The Lakers shot 55.6% as a team, winning seven of their last eight games since Feb. 28. The Bulls finished with a 53.7% shooting rate.

For Chicago, Josh Giddey tallied 27 points and 15 assists, while Matas Buzelis added 22. Leonard Miller and Nick Richards scored 15 points each as the Bulls fell to 3-3, snapping an 11-game winning streak. Chicago, missing Collin Sexton (leg), Anfernee Simons (hand), Isaac Okoro (knee), and Patrick Williams (ankle), is 2-2 on its five-game West Coast trip.

Los Angeles built a 22-point lead in the third quarter, but Chicago fought back, trailing 108-98 entering the fourth. The Bulls closed to 115-108 with 8:45 remaining before Reaves hit a contested 3-pointer and a turnaround jumper, pushing the Lakers ahead 120-108 with 7:50 left. A Doncic basket extended the lead to 130-112 with under five minutes remaining.

Doncic scored 17 points in the third quarter and 10 in the fourth, reaching 50 points for the first time since recording two 50-point games in the 2023-24 season.

Chicago had led by seven points in the second quarter before the Lakers took a 67-62 advantage into halftime. Doncic had 24 points for Los Angeles in the first half, while Buzelis led the Bulls with 17. Los Angeles shot 52.8% in the first half; Chicago finished at 51.1%.

—Field Level Media/Reuters