LeBron James coasted through 8 first-quarter minutes on Tuesday night. The future Hall of Famer was playing at half speed, scoring just 2 points, committing a turnover and allowing the Bulls, playing without Zach LaVine, to race out to a 20-point lead against a beaten down team traveling from the West Coast to begin a brutal four-game road trip. Given the circus that has become the Lakers’ 2018-19 season, James’ only trip to Chicago this season felt like a potential letdown.
But it was still LeBron James. Playing in Chicago. Against the Bulls. The ending was inevitable, and over the final three quarters the LeBron James that has gashed the Bulls for 16 seasons showed up and put on a dazzling display while leading the Lakers back to a victory.