Lakers star Luka Doncic scored a career-high 51 points Thursday, leading Los Angeles to a 142-130 win over the Chicago Bulls in LeBron James' first game back from a three-game absence. Doncic's performance, including 10 rebounds and nine assists, was a standout in a dominant showing by the Lakers' starting lineup, which scored 137 points – the most by a starting unit in a regulation game since the 1970-71 season. Luka Doncic and the Lakers' offense, particularly the dynamic duo of Doncic and Austin Reaves, have been the primary engine driving the team's surge. 8-3 when James isn't top two in scoring, the Lakers sit third in the Western Conference with 16 games remaining.