The Los Angeles Lakers came to Chicago on a cold Monday night with some baggage — the memory of last season’s sweep by the Bulls, including a half-court heartbreaker at the United Center, and a weekend of travel delays leaving Dallas. They left with a strong 129-118 win, a 3-1 mark on their eight-game road trip, and a reminder to the league that when Luka Doncic heats up, the math gets ugly for the opponent in a hurry.

Doncic was the star from tip to horn: 46 points, 11 assists, seven rebounds, and eight made threes on 15-for-25 shooting. He scored when the Lakers needed points, set the table when they needed calm, and slammed the door when the Bulls made their big push. It was a masterclass in control and timing.

Luka Doncic takes over in Lakers vs. Bulls

There are nights when the game bends to one player. This was one of them. Doncic attacked switches, walked into rhythm threes, and picked out shooters across the floor. He had 20 points in the third quarter alone on 6-for-9 shooting, and 32 after halftime. When Chicago rallied to make it 81-80 with 6:42 left in the third, he didn’t force shots — he orchestrated. The Lakers immediately answered with an 8-0 burst, capped by a Rui Hachimura three off a Doncic dime, and never gave the lead back.

By the numbers, it was elite shot-making and decision-making blended together. Eight triples. Fifteen makes on 25 attempts. Eleven helpers. That mix puts a defense in a bind: stay home on shooters and he scores; bring help and he finds the open man. Chicago had few good answers.

“Doncic just turned Chicago into his own gym for a night.”

LeBron sets the tone early for Los Angeles

Before Doncic took full control, LeBron James set the stage. He scored 20 of his 24 points in the first half, helping the Lakers build a lead that got as large as 20 late in the second quarter. His early force at the rim and in transition made Chicago react, then the spacing opened up for the rest of the team.

That cushion mattered. Chicago closed the half on a 7-0 run to trim the margin to 69-56, then kept coming after the break. Without LeBron’s opening act, the Bulls’ third-quarter surge could have flipped the game. Instead, the Lakers found a response.

Rui Hachimura’s efficient shooting changes the math

It’s easy to get lost in the star light, but Hachimura’s line jumps off the page: 23 points on 9-for-11 shooting, including four made threes. He punished soft closeouts, ran to the corners, and made Chicago pay when the defense tilted toward Doncic and LeBron.

His biggest bucket came right after the Bulls cut it to one — that corner three off Doncic’s pass that finished the 8-0 swing. In a game where both teams leaned into the three, those timely makes swung momentum back to purple and gold.

“Rui’s 9-for-11 was the quiet dagger Chicago never saw coming.”

Bulls’ push: three-point volume and balanced scoring

Chicago arrived hot, riding four straight wins and five in six, and leaning on volume from deep. That didn’t change here: the Bulls hit 18 threes on 49 attempts (37%). They kept coming, and they spread the scoring around.

Coby White led them with 23 points. Ayo Dosunmu added 20. Josh Giddey had 19, Marcus Smart scored 12, and Nikola Vucevic posted a double-double with 18 points and 11 rebounds. That balance — six Bulls in double figures — kept them in range even when the Lakers were cooking.

The key turn came mid-third. Chicago clawed from down 20 to 81-80 on two Vucevic free throws. The building had energy. The Bulls had belief. But the next eight points belonged to the Lakers, and the gap never closed again.

The turning point: an 8-0 answer under pressure

Plenty of teams get rattled when a big lead disappears. The Lakers did not. They strung together stops, got organized, and trusted their best actions. Doncic created advantages, LeBron steadied the tempo, and Hachimura hit the shot that popped the run. From there, Los Angeles outscored Chicago 35-33 in the third and 25-29 in the fourth, holding firm in winning time.

That composure fits a trend. The Lakers had won 14 of 16 in close situations entering this game, and while this one didn’t come down to a single possession, the calm in that third-quarter storm looked like a veteran group leaning on habits.

“Is this the road trip where the Lakers find their identity?”

Shooting tells the story: efficiency vs. volume

The numbers underline the style clash. The Lakers shot 56% from the field (46-for-82) and 48% from three (16-for-33). That’s ruthless efficiency. Chicago matched the three-point count (18 makes) but needed 49 attempts to get there and finished at 37% from deep. When one team is scoring with fewer trips and fewer misses, it’s hard to keep pace unless you turn them over. The Bulls couldn’t do that often enough.

The quarter-by-quarter flow shows how the Lakers kept control even through the Bulls’ push: 35 in the first, 34 in the second, 35 in the third, and 25 in the fourth. Chicago answered with 31, 25, 33, and 29. The Lakers’ best punch came early, and their last quarter was solid enough to land the result.

Context matters: a road test and a response to history

This win felt bigger than one night. Los Angeles had travel headaches leaving Dallas, but started fast anyway. They also carried the memory of last season, when the Bulls swept their two-game set, including that stunning half-court buzzer-beater from Josh Giddey in Chicago. Monday’s performance was a clean answer to that bit of recent history.

With the victory, the Lakers move to 28-17 and 3-1 on their long eight-game trip — the kind of midseason grind that can shape a playoff push. The Bulls, now 23-23, have fought back to .500 behind improved three-point volume and balanced scoring. Even with the loss, their blueprint remains clear: pace, drive-and-kick, and trust in their depth.

What it means for Lakers and Bulls

For Los Angeles, the formula worked: a superstar at full tilt, a Hall of Famer controlling the game’s tempo, and role players hitting open shots. When the Lakers shoot like this and keep their turnover count low, they look like a team that can win tough road games and stack momentum.

For Chicago, there’s a lot to like in the fight. The Bulls took a heavy punch, then made it a one-point game. The threes fell, the bench chipped in, and the crowd had a reason to believe. The next step is getting stops and clean looks at the same time against elite shot-makers like Doncic. That is the very thin line between a good team at .500 and a group that climbs above it.

On this night, Doncic drew that line with a thick marker. He controlled the game, hit the biggest shots, and gave the Lakers exactly what they needed at every turn. If this is the level he holds on the road, Los Angeles will like the rest of this trip — and the noise it makes in the West.