LeBron James shocked NBA fans with his appearance last night in the game between the Lakers and the Bulls. After two weeks of rest due to a groin injury, the king of the court returned to support L.A., but they suffered a crushing defeat against Chicago, 146-115.
Was it a miracle or a desperate move by the team to stay among the top teams in the NBA season? Was it really necessary to risk bringing back Rui Hachimura, who was still recovering from a knee issue? The truth is, it didn’t go as expected, as the franchise showed many weaknesses in their game.
Although Luka Dončić easily scored 34 points, LeBron James and Rui Hachimura failed to find their rhythm, and the result was disastrous for the Lakers, who fell to a team ranked far below them. Even so, they allowed the highest number of points they have conceded all season.
The Lakers looked unfocused and slow on the court
Dončić’s defensive performance was far from his best. In fact, he turned the ball over seven times, and most of his shots missed the mark. Overall, the Lakers were sluggish during the first half, possibly due to the fact that this was their seventh game in just ten days. The players’ fatigue was evident.
Although the Lakers stepped up their effort in the second half, it was too late. The Chicago Bulls had already scored a massive number of points in the first half. Moreover, they began scoring from anywhere on the court with little resistance from the Lakers.
Without a doubt, LeBron James’ return and the comeback of other injured players did not work out for Los Angeles. The 40-year-old star was out of sync and didn’t look like the LeBron we are used to seeing. He managed only 17 points, while Austin Reaves led the team with 25. Meanwhile, Hachimura had a limited performance, playing just 18 minutes and scoring only five points.
