Bulls Make Historic Josh Giddey Announcement After Lakers Game

 

Josh Giddey and the Chicago Bulls delivered a dominant 146-115 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday night at Crypto.com Arena, fueled by Coby White’s stellar 36-point performance (12-17 FG, 6-9 3PT). Rookie forward Matas Buzelis also shined, recording a career-high 31 points (12-18 FG, 5-10 3PT) in just 30 minutes.

The Lakers struggled defensively as Chicago shot an impressive 58.3% from the field and 46.3% from beyond the arc, while also outrebounding Los Angeles 42-35. Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves made their return after missing the Lakers’ previous loss to the Milwaukee Bucks, but the night belonged to Giddey.

The 22-year-old guard posted a historic stat line, finishing with 15 points (5-11 FG, 1-2 3PT), 17 assists, 10 rebounds, and eight steals. He led all players in both assists and steals, and following the game, the Bulls announced that Giddey had officially become the first player in NBA history to record such a stat line.

On the Lakers’ side, Dončić put up 34 points (10-18 FG, 8-13 3PT) along with eight rebounds and six assists, while Reaves contributed 25 points (9-13 FG, 3-7 3PT) with five assists and two boards. Meanwhile, LeBron James, in his first game back from a groin injury that sidelined him for seven games, had a quieter night than usual. The four-time champion finished with 17 points (7-16 FG, 1-2 3PT), six rebounds, four assists, and three steals.

With the loss, the Lakers (43-27) fell to fourth place in the Western Conference, sitting half a game behind the Denver Nuggets (44-27) and half a game ahead of the Memphis Grizzlies (43-28). Los Angeles now embarks on a four-game road trip, starting with a matchup against the Orlando Magic on Monday.