The Los Angeles Lakers lost to the Chicago Bulls in a highly anticipated match at Crypto.com Arena, where LeBron James returned after missing the past 13 games due to injury.
Despite James leading the Lakers in scoring with 19 points, the team struggled to keep up with the Bulls and ultimately lost the game.
The game’s highlight was a disrespectful gesture from former Lakers player Patrick Beverley toward James. Beverley, who finished the game with 10 points and 5 assists, made the “too small” gesture towards James after scoring over him and then told Shannon Sharpe that the Lakers stink.
The Bulls were led by Zach LaVine, who scored 32 points; DeMar DeRozan, who had 17 points and 10 assists; and Coby White, who scored 13 points. Meanwhile, former Lakers player, Andre Drummond, put up 12 points and 8 rebounds off the bench.
For the Lakers, Anthony Davis had a disappointing game with only 15 points and 9 rebounds in 36 minutes on the floor. This was a far cry from his previous 37-point performance against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
With only 7 games left in the regular season, the Lakers hold the No. 9 seed in the Western Conference while the Bulls are 10th in the East, both fighting for their playoff hopes. However, the Lakers have a chance to redeem themselves against the Bulls on Wednesday, as they start a 5-game road trip.