The prudent move might have been to try and tank for the opportunity to give their roster elite talent in the 2025 NBA Draft, but there is no question that this Chicago Bulls team is fun to watch right now.
Rookie Matas Buzelis scored a career-high 31 points in Chicago’s 31-point 146-115 win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday in front of 18,997 fans at the crypto.com Arena. The Bulls have now won seven of their last nine games, and are two games back from the Orlando Magic for the No. 8 spot in the Eastern Conference.
Coby White led the Bulls with 36 points against the Lakers.
Buzelis gave Chicago a spark earlier offensively when he made a nasty move on Luka Doncic before dunking on the five-time All-Star.
Chicago Bulls rookie made a bold statement after beating Lakers
Following the game, Buzelis said his goal is to become one of the all-time greats.
“I told Billy (Donovan) that I want to be pushed to the limit,” Buzelis said via CHSN’s K.C. Johnson. “I want to be the best player ever. That’s just how I think. He has done a great job holding me accountable. And I thank him. When he takes me out for a mistake, I get better”
Matas Buzelis after career-high 31 points: "I told Billy (Donovan) that I want to be pushed to the limit. I want to be the best player ever. That's just how I think. He has done a great job holding me accountable. And I thank him. When he takes me out for a mistake, I get better"
— K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) March 23, 2025
Look out Michael Jordan?
Matas Buzelis is feeling more comfortable
Buzelis admitted after the game that it took him a few months before the NBA game started slowing down for him. Per Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times, Buzelis said going against the best players in the world like Kevin Durant and LeBron James has made him a better player.
“I think I’ve learned the most about basketball the last four or five months than I have in my total life,” Buzelis said. “Being in the NBA, playing against all these guys, now it’s just building it, making the tools sharper, everything sharper. Handles, shooting, defense, all of it. I know I’m going to be a really good player. I put the work in, the effort in every day, and I love this sport. I’ll do anything it takes to better myself.”
Buzelis and Chicago have a tough week ahead of them. The Bulls will play the Denver Nuggets, Lakers, Dallas Mavericks, and Oklahoma City Thunder before March 31.
Those games will test the mettle of Buzelis.
Mar 22, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Coby White (0) points with Chicago Bulls forward Matas Buzelis (14) against the Los Angeles Lakers during the second half at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Hui-Imagn Images
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Matas Buzelis earns more praise from career night vs. Los Angeles Lakers
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