For the second time in five days, the Chicago Bulls stunned the Los Angeles Lakers with another unlikely win, this time thanks to a huge half-court shot from Josh Giddey in Thursday’s dramatic 119-117 victory. After trailing 91-75 entering the fourth quarter, Chicago stormed back to outscore Los Angeles, 38-24, and trailed, 115-113, with 10.1 seconds to play.
A Patrick Williams three-pointer narrowed the deficit to two and set up a Lakers inbounds, resulting in a sloppy pass from LeBron James intended for Austin Reaves, stolen by Giddey. Giddey’s steal turned into a clutch Coby White three-pointer to give the Bulls their first lead since the second quarter. Reaves quickly responded with a layup before a Giddey inbounds pass found its way back to the guard to set the stage for a 46-foot half-court heave to win it for the Bulls as time expired.
The unreal triple boosted an already monster night for Giddey, who earned his fifth triple-double of the season with 25 points, 14 rebounds, and 11 assists. Giddey’s game-winner also capped a game-changing Bulls shooting performance to earn the comeback win, which saw them hit 11 of 14 three-pointers to best the Lakers’ 1-of-9 mark in the final frame.
“As soon as it left my fingertips, it looked good,” Giddey said of his game-winning shot. “And that’s kind of why I held my follow-through the whole time. I had that feeling when it left. It looked straight. It felt good. It was a special night, obviously. A great comeback win. I’ll enjoy this one.”
Another look at the unreal final sequence that led to the thrilling Bulls victory shows Williams’ three, White’s three, and Reaves’ bucket, culminating in Giddey’s buzzer-beater.
“The probability of us winning that game was probably very low,” said White after the game. “But we defied the odds. It was a fun game to be a part of. That’s a game that I’m going to remember for the rest of my life.”
Bulls coach Billy Donovan expressed his amazement at the final moments, saying, “We just kind of kept hanging in there. From Patrick’s three to Josh’s steal to Coby’s three, then Reaves makes a layup, and then Josh throws in a half-court shot. Like, that all took place in 12 seconds. So, yeah, you’re not going to normally see that very often.”
With the win, the Bulls (33-40), winners of nine of their last 11 games, have swept the season series with the Lakers (44-29), who have struggled of late and fell in a season-worst 146-115 home loss to Chicago on March 22. Thursday’s loss also dealt the Lakers a jarring wake-up call after James tipped in a rebound for a game-winner in Wednesday’s 120-119 win over the Indiana Pacers.
Josh Giddey’s performance has been nothing short of spectacular since the All-Star break. The Adelaide 36ers product and Australian international is now averaging 22.6 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 9.1 assists per game while shooting an impressive 54.3 percent from the field and 53.1 percent from three-point range.
Earlier this week, Giddey recorded a near-quadruple-double against the Lakers, posting 15 points, 10 rebounds, 17 assists, and 8 steals in a commanding 146-115 victory. His recent form has sparked excitement among Bulls fans, many of whom have taken to social media to express their admiration.
“That was the greatest half-court shot of all time. Josh Giddey has been hooping. He’s the best thing that happened to Chicago,” one fan gushed on social media platform X. “Need to buy my Josh Giddey jersey yesterday, the boy can hoop,” another impressed fan posted.
Stacey King, a Bulls great, provided some colorful commentary during the game, comparing Giddey to LA legend Magic Johnson. “Magic Giddey. G’day mate. Somewhere in Australia, in Sydney, or Melbourne, Paul Hogan is up there, Crocodile Dundee,” King exclaimed, referencing the Australian connection.
For Giddey, the moment was surreal. “It felt pretty good out of the hands as it sailed its way down court for the unlikely victory,” he said, reflecting on the atmosphere in the United Center as the home crowd erupted in joy.
As the regular season enters its final stretch, the Bulls are pushing hard for a playoff spot, and performances like Giddey’s are crucial to their aspirations. With the playoffs just around the corner, Chicago fans will be hoping for more magic from their young star.
The Lakers, on the other hand, find themselves at a crossroads. After a promising start to the season, they have struggled to maintain their momentum. Their recent loss to the Bulls serves as a wake-up call as they look to regain their form and secure a strong position in the Western Conference.
In conclusion, the spotlight is firmly on Josh Giddey and the Chicago Bulls after this thrilling victory. With the postseason looming, fans and analysts alike will be watching closely to see if Giddey and his teammates can carry this momentum forward and make a deep playoff run.
