The Los Angeles Lakers suffered a stunning 119-117 loss to the Chicago Bulls on Thursday night, undone by one of the wildest finishes of the NBA season. Just 24 hours after LeBron James’ buzzer-beating tip-in secured a win in Indiana, the Lakers found themselves on the wrong side of late-game heroics.Â
Leading 115-110 after Austin Reaves’ free throws with just 13 seconds left, Los Angeles seemed poised for victory. But the Bulls stormed back as Patrick Williams and Coby White drained back-to-back 3-pointers, with White’s triple coming after a costly Lakers turnover.Â
Reaves briefly put the Lakers back on top, 117-116, with a clutch layup with three seconds remaining, but Josh Giddey’s desperation heave from halfcourt at the buzzer sealed their fate.Â
Reaves led the Lakers with 30 points, while Luka Doncic added 25 points, 10 rebounds, and seven assists. Jaxson Hayes chipped in 19, and James finished with 17 points and 12 assists, but the Lakers still dropped their eighth game in 12 outings, failing to capitalize on what looked like a sure win. Let’s go through how each Laker performed in this game.
Luka Doncic: A-
Stats: 25 PTS, 10 REB (0 OREB, 10 DREB), 8 AST, 2 STL, 1 BLK, 1 TO, 0 PF, 8-22 FG, 4-12 3PT, 5-6 FT, -1, 38 MIN
Doncic put up another strong all-around performance, finishing with 25 points, 10 rebounds, and eight assists while adding two steals and a block. Despite his near triple-double effort, he struggled with efficiency, shooting just 8-for-22 from the field and 4-for-12 from beyond the arc. He limited his mistakes with only one turnover and zero fouls, but his shooting struggles, particularly from deep, played a role in the Lakers’ inability to put the game away.
Austin Reaves: A-
Stats: 30 PTS, 1 REB (0 OREB, 1 DREB), 3 AST, 0 STL, 2 BLK, 2 TO, 4 PF, 10-17 FG, 3-9 3PT, 7-7 FT, -10, 37 MIN
Reaves was the Lakers’ top scorer with 30 points, displaying excellent efficiency inside the arc and a perfect 7-for-7 from the free-throw line. He stepped up in the clutch, hitting a go-ahead layup with three seconds remaining, but his efforts were ultimately undone by the team’s defensive lapse on the final possession. While he contributed two blocks, his four fouls and -10 plus/minus reflected some struggles on the defensive end.
LeBron James: B+
Stats: 17 PTS, 5 REB (1 OREB, 4 DREB), 12 AST, 2 STL, 0 BLK, 4 TO, 1 PF, 8-20 FG, 0-5 3PT, 1-2 FT, -10, 39 MIN
James orchestrated the offense effectively, dishing out 12 assists to go along with 17 points and five rebounds. He was aggressive in getting his teammates involved but had an inefficient shooting night (8-for-20) and failed to hit a three-pointer (0-for-5). His four turnovers were costly, including a late-game mistake that fueled Chicago’s comeback. Despite his leadership, this wasn’t his sharpest performance.
Jaxson Hayes: B+
Stats: 19 PTS, 8 REB (3 OREB, 5 DREB), 1 AST, 0 STL, 1 BLK, 0 TO, 3 PF, 9-11 FG, 0-0 3PT, 1-2 FT, -9, 32 MIN
Hayes had an impressive showing, scoring 19 points on an ultra-efficient 9-for-11 shooting while also grabbing eight rebounds. His interior presence and finishing ability gave the Lakers a much-needed boost in the paint, but his -9 plus/minus suggests he wasn’t as impactful defensively. Still, his ability to provide efficient scoring inside was one of the few bright spots in the loss.
Jarred Vanderbilt: C
Stats: 7 PTS, 5 REB (2 OREB, 3 DREB), 1 AST, 2 STL, 1 BLK, 0 TO, 3 PF, 3-4 FG, 0-0 3PT, 1-1 FT, +9, 19 MIN
Vanderbilt played just 19 minutes but made the most of them, scoring seven points on 3-for-4 shooting while grabbing five rebounds and adding two steals and a block. His defensive energy helped the Lakers when he was on the court, evidenced by his +9 plus/minus. However, his limited offensive impact and three personal fouls prevented him from making a bigger difference down the stretch.
Gabe Vincent: C
Stats: 8 PTS, 2 REB (0 OREB, 2 DREB), 0 AST, 0 STL, 0 BLK, 0 TO, 3 PF, 3-6 FG, 2-5 3PT, 0-0 FT, +13, 14 MIN
Vincent provided a small scoring spark off the bench, knocking down two three-pointers and finishing with eight points in just 14 minutes. He was efficient (3-for-6 from the field) but did not contribute in playmaking or defense, finishing without an assist or a steal. His +13 plus/minus suggests he was a net positive when on the floor, but his role remained limited.
Jordan Goodwin: C
Stats: 8 PTS, 2 REB (0 OREB, 2 DREB), 2 AST, 1 STL, 2 BLK, 1 TO, 3 PF, 3-4 FG, 2-3 3PT, 0-0 FT, +3, 18 MIN
Goodwin made an impact in his 18 minutes, scoring eight points on 3-for-4 shooting while adding two assists, one steal, and two blocks. His defensive activity was notable, but his three fouls and limited role in the offense kept him from having a greater influence on the game. His +3 plus/minus showed he contributed positively in his minutes.
Dorian Finney-Smith: C-
Stats: 3 PTS, 4 REB (0 OREB, 4 DREB), 2 AST, 1 STL, 0 BLK, 3 TO, 1 PF, 1-5 FG, 1-5 3PT, 0-0 FT, -10, 30 MIN
Finney-Smith struggled offensively, shooting just 1-for-5 from the field and turning the ball over three times. He managed to grab four rebounds and recorded two assists and a steal, but his -10 plus/minus reflected his struggles on both ends. His lack of scoring punch hurt the Lakers, especially with other key players having inefficient nights.
Dalton Knecht: D
Stats: 0 PTS, 3 REB (0 OREB, 3 DREB), 1 AST, 0 STL, 0 BLK, 0 TO, 1 PF, 0-2 FG, 0-2 3PT, 0-0 FT, +5, 12 MIN
Knecht had a rough outing, failing to score in his 12 minutes while missing both of his shot attempts from deep. He did contribute three rebounds and an assist, but his inability to provide spacing hurt the Lakers’ offensive flow. His +5 plus/minus suggests he wasn’t a liability, but he failed to leave his mark on the game.
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