LeBron James' return from injury spoiled by Bulls' phenomenal effort in 146-115 win over Lakers

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Coby White scored 36 points, Josh Giddey flirted with a quadruple-double and the Chicago Bulls wrecked LeBron James' return from injury with an impressive 146-115 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday night.

Luka Doncic scored 29 of his 34 points in the first half and hit eight 3-pointers, while James had 17 points after a seven-game absence.

Neither superstar could do a thing to slow the Bulls, who scorched Los Angeles' normally sturdy defense on the way to their seventh win in nine games. Chicago's 146 points were 12 more than the Lakers had allowed in any game this season.

Matas Buzelis scored 31 points for Chicago, and Giddey recorded 15 points, 17 assists, 10 rebounds and eight steals. White was dominant while hitting six 3-pointers, and eight Bulls scored at least nine points on the fifth stop of a six-game road trip.

Austin Reaves scored 25 points for LA.

Rui Hachimura made his own return from a 12-game absence with a knee injury, making the Lakers' roster largely whole — but Los Angeles then played perhaps its worst defensive game.

Bulls: One of their best performances of the season, particularly in their fifth road game in eight nights while playing without injured starter Tre Jones. Chicago is looking more like a postseason threat.

Lakers: An exhausting two weeks ended discouragingly. James missed two weeks with a strained left groin, and Los Angeles clearly needs time to get back to its pre-injury form.

Reaves and Doncic kept it close through halftime, but White scored 12 points while Chicago steadily pulled away with a 39-point third quarter.

Doncic scored at least 29 points for the ninth time in his last 11 games.

On Monday, the Bulls finish their trip in Denver and the Lakers begin a four-game trip in Orlando.

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA

Chicago Bulls guard Josh Giddey (3) gets a pass off against Los Angeles Lakers forward Jarred Vanderbilt (2) in the first half of an NBA basketball game Saturday, March 22, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Wally Skalij)

Chicago Bulls center Nikola Vucevic (9) and Los Angeles Lakers forward Dorian Finney-Smith (17) battle for a rebound in the first half of an NBA basketball game Saturday, March 22, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Wally Skalij)

Chicago Bulls guard Coby White (0) drives between Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) and guard Jordan Goodwin (30) for a basket in the first half of an NBA basketball game Saturday, March 22, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Wally Skalij)

Chicago Bulls forward Zach Collins (12) battles for a rebound with Los Angeles Lakers guard Gabe Vincent (7) and center Jaxson Hayes (11) in the first half of an NBA basketball game Saturday, March 22, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Wally Skalij)

Los Angeles Lakers center Jaxson Hayes (11) battles for a rebound with Chicago Bulls forwards Matas Buzelis, left, and Zach Collins, third from left, in the first half of an NBA basketball game Saturday, March 22, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Wally Skalij)

Chicago Bulls guard Josh Giddey (3) passes the ball in front of Los Angeles Lakers center Jaxson Hayes (11) and guard Luka Doncic (77) in the first half of an NBA basketball game Saturday, March 22, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Wally Skalij)

Chicago Bulls forward Matas Buzelis (14) scores a basket in front of Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) in the first half of an NBA basketball game Saturday, March 22, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Wally Skalij)

DENVER (AP) — A Frontier Airlines plane hit and killed a pedestrian on the runway of the Denver International Airport during takeoff, airport authorities said, sparking an engine fire and forcing passengers to evacuate.

The plane, on route from Denver to Los Angeles International Airport, “reported striking a pedestrian during takeoff at DEN at approximately 11:19 p.m. on Friday," the airport's official X account wrote.

A spokesperson for the airport said the pedestrian, who jumped a perimeter fence, has died. They said the unidentified person was hit two minutes after entering the airport. The person is not believed to be an airport employee.

“We're stopping on the runway,” the pilot tells the control tower according to the site ATC.com. “We just hit somebody. We have an engine fire.”

The pilot tells the air traffic controller they have “231 souls” on board and that an “individual was walking across the runway.”

The air traffic controller responds that they are “rolling the trucks now" before the pilot tells the tower they “have smoke in the aircraft. We are going to evacuate on the runway.”

Frontier Airlines said in a statement flight 4345 was the one involved in the collision and that “smoke was reported in the cabin and the pilots aborted takeoff.” It was not clear whether the smoke was linked to the crash with the pedestrian.

“The Airbus A321 was carrying 224 passengers and seven crew members,” the airline said. “We are investigating this incident and gathering more information in coordination with the airport and other safety authorities.”

Passengers were then evacuated via slides and the emergency crew bused them to the terminal. The airport spokesperson said 12 passengers suffered minor injuries and five were taken to local hospitals.

Denver Airport said the National Transportation Safety Board had been notified and that runway 17L, where the incident took place, will remain closed while an investigation is conducted. It is expected to open later today.

The pedestrian death came a day after a Delta Air Lines employee was killed while on the job at the Orlando International Airport. In a statement, the airline said the employee was killed Thursday night without providing details of the incident nor the name of the employee.

“We are focused on extending our full support to family and taking care of our Orlando team during this difficult time,” the airline said. "We are working with local authorities as a full investigation gets underway to determine what occurred.”

FILE - A Frontier Airlines jetliner taxis down a runway for take off from Denver International airport on Nov. 25, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski, File)