By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Luka Doncic poured in 46 points, including nine in the fourth quarter, to get the job done, and the Los Angeles Lakers prevailed, 129-118, over the Chicago Bulls in United Center on Monday.
After all but mishandling a 20-point advantage and getting back into a safe distance, JJ Redick’s side jumped to 28-17 in the 2025-26 NBA Regular Season with a fourth win over the last five team outings, including three out of four midway through an eight-game road trip.
“We talked about a lot of things, how we want to approach the game better. That’s what we are doing right now. We are staying together. I think everybody’s having fun out there,” described the Slovenian superstar in a postgame press conference.
Logging 38:05 in Chicago, Doncic made 15/25 field goals with 8/14 from beyond the arc. He added 11 assists to post a double-double, alongside seven rebounds, and also committed three turnovers.
“I think I was just being aggressive, seeing what the defense gives you. I said, probably JJ is going to be mad that I took 25 shots, so he’ll tell me to pass more. I’m kidding,” he jokingly commented on Redick publicly demanding more trust among his players.
German teammate Maxi Kleber did not crack the rotation for a fifth straight game.
On the wrong end, Montenegrin Nikola Vucevic combined an 18-point, 11-rebound double-double with five assists and one steal. Fellow European starter, Lithuanian Matas Buzelis, finished with 11 points, five rebounds, and four assists. French Noa Essengue (left shoulder surgery) remained out, sidelined for the rest of the season since early December.