CHICAGO (AP) Luka Doncic had 46 points, 11 assists and seven rebounds, and the Los Angeles Lakers cooled off the Chicago Bulls with a 129-118 victory on Monday night.
LeBron James scored 20 of his 24 points in the first half as Los Angeles improved to 3-1 on an eight-game trip. Rui Hachimura added 23 points on 9-for-11 shooting.
The Lakers were swept by Chicago in their two-game series last season, including a wild 119-117 loss at the United Center on Josh Giddey’s half-court shot at the buzzer.
Coby White scored 23 points for Chicago on Monday night, and Ayo Dosunmu had 20. The Bulls had won four in a row and five of six overall.
Chicago went 18 for 49 from 3-point range. It has made at least 17 3s in its last five games.
Los Angeles led by as many as 20 points, but Chicago closed to 81-80 on Nikola Vucevic’s two foul shots with 6:42 left in the third quarter.
But Marcus Smart responded with a three-point play for the Lakers. Doncic then made two free throws and Hachimura connected from deep to make it 89-80 with 4:38 left.
Doncic made a 3 and another foul shot to lift Los Angeles to a 104-89 lead going into the fourth. Doncic scored 20 points in the third on 6-for-9 shooting.
The Lakers shot 56% (46 for 82) from the field, including a 16-for-33 performance from 3-point range.
The Bulls had six players score in double figures. Vucevic had 18 points and 11 rebounds, and Giddey finished with 19 points.
Los Angeles moved in front with a 25-6 run that started late in the first quarter and carried over to the second. James’ fast-break jam made it 51-37 with 7:19 left.
The Bulls closed the first half with a 7-0 spurt, trimming the Lakers’ lead to 69-56. Doncic had 17 points and eight assists in the first half.
Lakers: At Cleveland on Wednesday night.
Bulls: At Indiana on Wednesday night.
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| STARTERS | PTS | REB | AST | PF |
| L. Doncic | 46 | 7 | 11 | 2 |
| L. James | 24 | 5 | 3 | 3 |
| M. Smart | 12 | 2 | 1 | 4 |
| J. LaRavia | 8 | 5 | 4 | 1 |
| D. Ayton | 6 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| BENCH | PTS | REB | AST | PF |
| R. Hachimura | 23 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| J. Hayes | 8 | 4 | 1 | 2 |
| J. Vanderbilt | 2 | 7 | 2 | 1 |
| G. Vincent | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
| D. Timme | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| C. Manon | – | – | – | – |
| D. Knecht | – | – | – | – |
| K. Bufkin | – | – | – | – |
| M. Kleber | – | – | – | – |
| N. Smith Jr. | – | – | – | – |
| B. James | – | – | – | – |
| Total | 129 | 35 | 26 | 15 |
| STARTERS | PTS | REB | AST | PF |
| C. White | 23 | 5 | 6 | 4 |
| N. Vucevic | 18 | 11 | 5 | 2 |
| J. Smith | 13 | 7 | 0 | 3 |
| M. Buzelis | 11 | 5 | 4 | 2 |
| I. Okoro | 7 | 1 | 5 | 2 |
| BENCH | PTS | REB | AST | PF |
| A. Dosunmu | 20 | 3 | 2 | 4 |
| J. Giddey | 19 | 6 | 7 | 0 |
| P. Williams | 7 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| J. Carter | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| K. Huerter | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| L. Olbrich | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| J. Phillips | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| D. Terry | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Y. Kawamura | – | – | – | – |
| E. Miller | – | – | – | – |
| Total | 118 | 40 | 31 |