Luka Doncic drops 51 as Lakers explode in LeBron’s return

LOS ANGELES — Luka Doncic scored 51 points Thursday, his highest-scoring game with the Lakers, and Los Angeles beat the Chicago Bulls 142-130 in LeBron James’ return from a three-game absence.

“It’s special,” said Doncic, who left the game late in the fourth quarter to a standing ovation, with James imploring the crowd to cheer louder. “Obviously to have a 50-point game here is very special.”

James scored 18 points on 7-of-13 shooting with seven rebounds and seven assists, and all five Lakers starters scored in double figures as Los Angeles’ first unit scored 137 points, the most by a starting lineup in a regulation game since the 1970-71 season, according to ESPN Research. Austin Reaves (30 points), Deandre Ayton (23 points) and Rui Hachimura (15 points) also impressed.

Lakers coach JJ Redick said it was an intentional team-first approach and an example of sacrifice from James, who saw Los Angeles ride a three-game winning streak while the 41-year-old was sidelined with foot, elbow and hip injuries.

“LeBron and I, we talked, we had a great conversation over the last few days,” Redick said. “He wants to do everything possible to help his team win, and he understands the importance of making sure Luka and AR can be at their best. And you know, it’s amazing with him.

“It shows how much he cares about this team and his teammates, and how much he wants to win.”

Did James consider it a sacrifice to play this way?

“I mean, if it benefits others, it benefits the team. The team is the most important thing,” he said. “Everyone succeeds when you win. So yes, it’s a sacrifice. I know what I’m still capable of doing as an individual, but what’s important for this team, I’m able to adapt to it. … And that’s the only thing that matters. And winning is the only thing that matters.”

LA is 8-3 this season despite James not being one of the team’s top two players in field goal attempts, according to ESPN Research.

It was the Lakers’ seventh victory in their last eight games, as they moved into third place in the Western Conference standings with 16 games remaining in the regular season.

As solid as James was against Chicago, this surge is largely due to Doncic and Reaves reaching another level.

“AR and Luka,” James said, “offensively, were magical and dynamic.”

Doncic, who narrowly missed a triple-double with 10 rebounds and nine assists, said the spell he cast on the Bulls was due to 21-year-old Chicago forward Matas Buzelis.

“Someone started talking to me, it woke me up,” Doncic said of Buzelis. “I’m not going to say what he said, but if I said that, I would definitely have a technician.”

Reaves, meanwhile, scored 25-plus points for the third straight game, his longest streak since late November before suffering a left calf strain that kept him sidelined for more than a month from late December to early February. Reaves also surpassed 5,000 career points on Thursday, becoming the 46th undrafted player in league history to reach that plateau.

“I obviously have a delusional confidence in myself when it comes to basketball,” Reaves said. “But when the game is over and I have to go home and think about it, I don’t really consider myself in the category of some of these other guys. But I just enjoy playing basketball, playing the right way and continuing to get better.”

And it looks like the Lakers are improving as a group at the perfect time.

“Every game matters and how you approach it matters,” James said. “I mean, it’s mid-March. The playoffs are a month away, so it must be 1773410277”.

Doncic said: “It’s definitely the right time [to play better]. But obviously we have to continue to do it. If we relax now, it won’t be worth it [anything]. So we have to keep doing the same thing. »