Jordan Goodwin #30 and LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers react after a foul name towards the Chicago Bulls throughout the second quarter at Crypto.com Area on March 22, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. Luke Hales/Getty Pictures/AFP
LOS ANGELES — LeBron James returned from a two-week damage absence Saturday evening, trying rested and able to lead the Los Angeles Lakers down the stretch towards the NBA postseason.
After which virtually nothing else went proper for the Lakers throughout a 146-115 thrashing from the Chicago Bulls.
“We’ve acquired to play higher basketball than we did tonight, and what we did on our final highway journey,” James stated earlier than the Lakers headed out on a four-game journey starting in Orlando on Monday.
READ: NBA: Bulls rout Lakers, spoil LeBron James’ return
James scored 17 factors after lacking the Lakers’ earlier seven video games with a strained left groin, however the prime scorer in NBA historical past seemed rusty in sure moments — significantly late within the first quarter, when he threw an extended sideline inbounds cross that curled out of bounds with out ever getting near one among his teammates.
However James’ return was only one a part of a comprehensively poor effort by the Lakers, who took their second straight loss and hit the most recent trough of their peaks-and-valleys season since buying Luka Doncic.
Not even the simultaneous return of beginning ahead Rui Hachimura, who had missed 12 video games with a knee damage, might make the Lakers aggressive towards the impressed Bulls.
“I don’t know if we assumed as a result of we had everyone again that it was simply going to be prefer it was three weeks in the past, and that’s simply not how this works,” Lakers coach JJ Redick stated. “The factor that we now have talked about all season lengthy, although, is grace, so the group inherently will get some grace for what these final three weeks has seemed like. (However) that was the worst our protection has seemed, frankly, all 12 months, however actually within the final three months.”
Certainly, the Lakers have been one of many NBA’s greatest groups for lengthy stretches with their new celebrity duo — however they’ve additionally had sufficient horrible outings to counsel there’s far more work to do. Their schedule additionally has been completely brutal: They’re in a stretch of 20 video games in 5 weeks, they usually simply performed 5 house video games in seven days.
READ: NBA: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bucks blast star-less Lakers
The 40-year-old James remains to be assured the Lakers will discover the perfect model of themselves. They’d received eight video games in a row earlier than James’ damage, they usually put collectively a three-game profitable streak earlier this week earlier than his return.
“I already know what this workforce is able to,” James stated. “Regardless of who’s been within the lineup, who’s been out of the lineup, we’ve been in a position to maintain our effort and attempt to proceed to play the correct approach, each offensively and defensively. It was nice to see, even via among the adversity, even via the accidents and the schedule, we have been nonetheless in a position to win ballgames.”
James was noncommittal in regards to the state of his restoration from the groin damage, which occurred late within the Lakers’ loss at defending champion Boston on March 8. Los Angeles promptly misplaced all 4 video games on that highway journey, however recovered to win three straight at house earlier than its present two-game skid.
“I simply take it daily,” James stated of his damage. “I can’t work out what’s going to occur sooner or later, however clearly I acquired some work on it immediately. Hopefully a little bit extra on the aircraft. It’s an extended flight to Orlando, after which I’ll prepare for Monday. I hope it’s behind, however I received’t look too far sooner or later.”
Earlier than his damage, James averaged 25.0 factors, 8.5 assists and eight.2 rebounds throughout his record-tying twenty second NBA season.
READ: NBA: Lakers’ LeBron James has ‘not a lot concern’ after groin damage
Hachimura is the Lakers’ fourth-leading scorer with 13.3 factors per recreation, however he scored 5 factors in solely 18 minutes throughout his comeback recreation. He stated his knee is “70, 80 p.c” wholesome, however he can’t await it to heal totally.
“Our protection was terrible immediately,” Hachimura stated. “We weren’t locked in, and our recreation plans, we didn’t execute. They have been getting all the things — 3s, transition, layups, no matter. I believe we’ve simply acquired to concentrate on protection. Our offense goes to be effective. We all know that.”
Los Angeles misplaced to Milwaukee on Thursday whereas Doncic and Austin Reaves additionally sat out, leaving the Lakers with out 4 ordinary starters to play their sixth recreation in eight days. Doncic and Reaves mixed for 59 factors towards Chicago, however their teammates couldn’t sustain.
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“We simply haven’t had plenty of time with our full workforce obtainable,” Redick stated. “We’ve needed to handle this all season lengthy, regardless of which iteration of this workforce it’s been. So I’m excited for these final 13 video games to construct some continuity, construct some chemistry, and hopefully the way in which we have been enjoying previous to the Boston recreation, we are able to sort of get again to that.”
