The Chicago Bulls broke the hearts of the Los Angeles Lakers fans on Thursday with his game-winning shot that beat the buzzer. The player responsible for the win was Josh Giddey, who had a last-second shot from half-court to send the Lakers away with a 119-117 loss. After the game, All-Star guard Luka Doncic talked about his genuine thoughts on their recent defeat.
Doncic played well for the Lakers. He had 25 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists on 33.3% shooting from deep. Defensively the 6-foot-6 guard was active with his two steals and one block. His backcourt mate, Austin Reaves, did most of the heavy lifting. He had a team-high 30 points and three assists on 10-for-17 shooting from the field.
For the majority of the second half, the Lakers dominated the game. They even had an 18-point lead. The Bulls, on the other hand, fought back into the game and held it tight until the very end. This ultimately resulted in the Australian sensation’s clutch shot.
Giddey finished the game with 25 points, 14 rebounds and 11 assists. However, his shot in the fourth quarter was the most important stat he had.
Following the game, a devastated Doncic talked to the media.
“It’s hard. To lose like that, we basically had the game in hand and when you lose like that, it’s hard. Especially on a back-to-back when I think we fought hard. It’s hard to lose like that,” Doncic said.
Luka Doncic on the emotions of this loss:
"It's hard. To lose like that, we basically had the game in hand and when you lose like that, it's hard. Especially on a back-to-back when I think we fought hard. It's hard to lose like that."
— Lakers Nation (@LakersNation) March 28, 2025
Even head coach JJ Redick was devastated after the loss.
“Devastation. That’s a hell of a way to lose a basketball game.”
Before their game against Chicago, the Lakers were the ones on the other end. They played against the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday, which also went down to the wire. Doncic attempted a game-winning floater but missed. Fortunately for the Lakers, LeBron James secured the putback layup and gave the team a 120-119 victory.
LeBron James took the blame for the Los Angeles Lakers loss
Giddey’s shot was something that no one expected to go in. However, there were errors from the Los Angeles Lakers that led to the eventual loss. One moment in particular was during the final seconds of the fourth period.
When James allowed an inbound pass to be stolen by Giddey, he turned the ball over. Coby White, who finished with 26 points on 50% 3-point shooting, made a crucial 3-pointer after the steal. The clutch shot put the Bulls in the lead, 116-115. The Lakers returned the favor via a layup from Austin Reaves. Los Angeles had the lead with 3.3 seconds left and the 6-foot-7 guard sealed the win for Chicago.
After the game, James took the blame for his untimely turnover.
“Horrible turnover by myself, bad miscommunication play before that,” James said.
LeBron: "Horrible turnover by myself, bad miscommunication play before that. … Tip your hat if someone makes a game-winner from half court."
— Lakers Daily (@LakersDailyCom) March 28, 2025
The Lakers will resume their season on Saturday against the Memphis Grizzlies.
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Reign also writes NBA and WNBA news updates on Sportskeeda. He started as a feature writer for AirAlamo, an NBA website that covers the San Antonio Spurs. Some of his work can also be seen on Valley of the Suns, a Phoenix Suns-centric website, where he served as a contributing writer.
