Luka Doncic Explodes for 46 Points: Lakers Dominate Bulls in Chicago Showdown

Jan 27
2 min read

Luka Doncic reminded the basketball world why the Dallas Mavericks made a colossal mistake trading him nearly a year ago. The Slovenian superstar poured in 46 points with 11 assists and seven rebounds, leading the Los Angeles Lakers to a convincing 129-118 victory over the Chicago Bulls at the United Center on Monday night. Doncic became just the second player in Lakers history to record 45+ points, 10+ assists, and five+ three-pointers in a single game, joining Kobe Bryant in that exclusive club.

Luka Doncic Shooting Clinic and Third Quarter Takeover

Doncic put on an absolute shooting clinic, draining eight three-pointers (his season high) and converting 15 of 25 field goal attempts. After the Lakers built a 20-point lead, Chicago stormed back with a 24-12 run to cut the deficit to 81-80 in the third quarter. That's when Doncic took over completely, scoring 20 points in the third on 6-of-9 shooting to restore the Lakers' comfortable margin and put the game out of reach.

Supporting Cast Steps Up

LeBron James contributed 24 points, scoring 20 in the first half alone with multiple thunderous one-handed dunks. Rui Hachimura continued his excellence in his new sixth-man role, pouring in 23 points on an efficient 9-of-11 shooting with four made three-pointers. The Lakers shot an impressive 56% from the field overall and connected on 16 three-pointers at a 54% clip, overwhelming Chicago's defense.

Bulls' Hot Start Fizzles

Chicago entered the game riding a four-game winning streak and had made at least 17 three-pointers in each of their last five games. The Bulls started strong from beyond the arc, hitting 16 of their first 31 attempts, but went ice cold down the stretch, missing 16 of their final 18 three-point attempts. Coby White led Chicago with 23 points, while Ayo Dosunmu added 20 off the bench in the losing effort.

Road Warriors Rolling

The Lakers improved to 3-1 on their current eight-game road trip and have won four of their last five games overall. At 28-17, they sit just half a game behind the Houston Rockets for the Western Conference's No. 5 seed. Coach JJ Redick hinted that Austin Reaves will return during this road trip, providing much-needed reinforcements as the Lakers face the Cleveland Cavaliers next on Wednesday.

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