March 23rd – Coby White, Matas Buzelis, and Josh Giddey propelled the proficiently shooting Chicago Bulls to a 146-115 victory against the Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday night, undermining the homecoming of LeBron James and Rui Hachimura.
White concluded the game with 36 points, achieving 12-of-17 shooting from the field and converting 6-of-9 efforts from beyond the arc for Chicago. Buzelis, a newcomer, contributed 31 points with a shooting accuracy of 12 out of 18. Giddey may have surpassed both, achieving his 15th career triple-double with 15 points, 17 assists, and 10 rebounds. Giddey was a major contributor on defense, recording eight steals.
Luka Doncic spearheaded the Lakers (43-27), accumulating 34 points on 10-of-18 shooting, which included 8 three-pointers. Doncic accumulated 29 points in the first half to maintain a narrow margin. Austin Reaves contributed 25 points on 9-of-13 shooting, while James scored 17 points on 7-of-16 shooting. He contributed six rebounds and four assists.
James participated in his inaugural game following his departure from the Lakers’ 111-101 defeat in Boston on March 8 due to a groin ailment. The Lakers recorded a 3-4 record during James’ absence and have dropped six of their last nine games overall.
Pacers 108, Nets 103
Tyrese Haliburton rejoined the Indiana lineup following a three-game absence, contributing 16 points, 12 assists, and eight rebounds, as the Pacers overcame a near collapse of a 20-point lead to secure victory against Brooklyn in Indianapolis.
Pascal Siakam recorded a game-high 26 points, while Obi Toppin contributed 10 points from the bench as one of five Indiana players in double digits. Myles Turner recorded 22 points and eight rebounds, but Bennedict Mathurin contributed 13 points off the bench.
Trendon Watford, who was expelled from Thursday’s contest following an altercation with Turner, returned to score 26 points. Cameron Johnson scored 20 points and secured nine rebounds for the Nets, but Nic Claxton tallied nine points and 10 rebounds.
Hawks 124, Warriors 115
Trae Young recorded 25 points and achieved his 41st double-double of the season, contributing to Atlanta’s victory over the visiting Golden State.
The Warriors competed without their leading scorer, Stephen Curry (24.2 points per game), who incurred a left pelvic contusion on Thursday. Onyeka Okongwu of the Hawks recorded 22 points and 12 rebounds, achieving his 22nd double-double. Atlanta has secured victories in six of its last eight games and maintains a 1.5-game advantage over Orlando in the competition for the No. 7 position in the Eastern Conference.
The Warriors were guided by Jimmy Butler III, who scored 25 points and provided eight assists. Moses Moody recorded 20 points, while Brandin Podziemski contributed 19 points and eight rebounds.
Bucks 114, Kings 108
Giannis Antetokounmpo recorded 32 points and 17 rebounds as the visiting Milwaukee team overcame a 14-point hole to defeat Sacramento.
Brook Lopez recorded 21 points, Kevin Porter Jr. contributed 18 from the bench, and Taurean Prince added 15 for Milwaukee, which surpassed the Kings 28-19 in the fourth quarter. Kyle Kuzma recorded 14 points and 14 rebounds, while Gary Trent Jr. contributed 11 points. Damian Lillard was absent for his second consecutive game due to a right calf injury while playing for Milwaukee.
DeMar DeRozan topped Sacramento’s scoring with 22 points, while Keon Ellis contributed 20 points, six assists, and a career-best nine rebounds. Jonas Valanciunas recorded 18 points, Zach LaVine supplied 16, Keegan Murray achieved 13, and Jake LaRavia added 11.
Knicks 122, Wizards 103
Karl-Anthony Towns amassed 31 points and 11 rebounds on Saturday night, contributing to New York’s victory against the visiting Washington team.
Mikal Bridges contributed 27 points, while OG Anunoby scored 23 for the Knicks, so ending a two-game losing streak. Cameron Payne recorded 13 points, but Josh Hart accumulated nine points and 12 rebounds.
Jordan Poole scored 25 points for the Wizards, who suffered their fourth consecutive defeat. Marcus Smart recorded 17 points, while Kyshawn George concluded with 15 points and 10 rebounds.
