LeBron James Takes Blame For Lakers’ Epic Collapse Against The Bulls

Just one day after LeBron James’ buzzer-beater helped the Lakers beat the Pacers, they experienced a dramatic collapse on Thursday night—losing a 16-point lead to the Bulls and giving up nine points in the final ten seconds, including a stunning half-court buzzer-beater by Josh Giddey that secured the win for Chicago.

The Lakers had multiple chances to close out the game but couldn’t capitalize—LeBron James, in particular, had a costly mistake in the final moments.

After Patrick Williams’ three-pointer cut the lead to two with ten seconds left, James committed a crucial turnover while trying to inbound the ball to Austin Reaves. Had the pass been completed, Reaves could have sealed the game with two free throws.

Instead, James’ miscue gave the Bulls another shot, and Coby White drained a clutch three to put Chicago ahead. Reaves briefly regained the lead for the Lakers with a quick bucket, but Josh Giddey delivered the dagger—a half-court buzzer-beater that stunned L.A. and gave the Bulls the win.

After the game, LeBron James took responsibility for the Lakers’ collapse, acknowledging his costly turnover in the final moments.

“We put ourselves in a position to win. Horrible turnover by myself. Bad miscommunication the play before that. [Reaves] still hit a big bucket to try to save us and you tip your hat if someone hits a game-winner from half court.”

LeBron James struggled throughout the game, finishing with 17 points on 8-of-20 shooting while missing all five of his three-point attempts. The Lakers were outscored by ten points during his 39 minutes on the floor, further highlighting his off night.

With the loss, the Lakers now face a crucial matchup against the Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday. Both teams are tied at 44-29, battling for the coveted fourth seed and home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs. Given James’ track record, a strong bounce-back performance is expected, making Saturday’s game a must-watch as the Lakers look to recover from their late-game collapse against Chicago.