After an uneven start to 2026, the Los Angeles Lakers seem to have found their momentum once again. On Tuesday, the Purple and Gold claimed a 129-118 win over the Chicago Bulls to punctuate a strong five-game stretch this calendar year.
Luka Dončić again led the way for the Lakers as he continues to solidify his case as the league’s most valuable player. Against the Bulls, Dončić delivered his second-highest scoring output this season with 46 points to go along with 7 rebounds and 12 assists.
Moreover, Dončić added another historic feat to his résumé, becoming the fastest point guard in NBA history to reach 20 career 45-point games.
Lakers, the Streak Busters
For the second game in a row, the Lakers proved to be win-streak busters once again after stopping the Bulls’ four-game winning run. Previously, the Lakers put an end to the Dallas Mavericks’ own four-game winning streak.
With Dončić playing at a superstar level once again, as evidenced by him being named Western Conference Player of the Week, and Austin Reaves nearing a return to action, it appears the Lakers are starting to hum again and regain the fearsome form they showed early this season.
“He’s an engine that’s fully on,” head coach JJ Redick said of Dončić. “He likes to create out there, and that’s part of what makes him a great player.”
The Lakers will be looking to extend their own run of great play when they face the Cleveland Cavaliers in Cleveland. The Cavs, incidentally, are winners of—you guessed it!—four straight games.
Bulls Stuck at Being Average
While the Lakers are riding high, Chicago seems to be mired in being average. Despite going 6-3 over their last nine games, the Bulls just can’t seem to stay consistent winners, as they dropped to an even 23-23 record after their loss to the Purple and Gold.
The Bulls actually shot 52% from the field against the Lakers but committed 15 turnovers. This sloppiness contributed to Chicago getting into a 20-point hole from which they couldn’t recover.
“The turnovers hurt us. It may not look like a lot, but a lot of it led to points on their end,” said Bulls coach Billy Donovan.
The Bulls will try to right the ship quickly when they take on the Indiana Pacers in Indiana.
