The Los Angeles Lakers didn’t need Lonzo Ball to control most of Friday’s game against the Chicago Bulls. What they did need, though, was Brandon Ingram’s big fourth quarter and steady all-around performance to seal the team’s first road win without its rookie point guard, 108-103, at the United Center.
Ingram scored 10 of his game-high 25 points (10-of-18 shooting, 0-of-3 from three, 5-of-8 on free throws) over the final 4:36 of the contest. The second-year swingman also led L.A. in rebounds (nine) and assists (five), and was one of six Lakers to snag a steal.
The Purple and Gold wouldn’t have needed BI’s heroics if not for some gutty runs by the Bulls. Chicago fell into a double-digit hole in each quarter before finally taking a 92-90 lead—its first since the score was 3-2 in the opening period—with 5:38 to play.
The Bulls burned L.A. for 17 three-pointers, but could barely find the basket from inside the arc (18-of-57, 31.6 percent). Most of Chicago’s punch came off its bench, with Nikola Mirotic (18 points, 4-of-9 from three), Bobby Portis (16 points, nine rebounds) and Denzel Valentine (16 points, 11 boards, four assists) shouldering most of the lode. Rookie Lauri Markkanen led Chicago’s starters in points (11) and rebounds (11), and all participants with three blocks.
Jordan Clarkson, though, led all reserve scorers with 19 points and four assists. Julius Randle (14 points, six rebounds, three assists) and Brook Lopez (17 points, six rebounds, two blocks) joined Clarkson and Ingram among Lakers in double digits.
L.A. didn’t get a ton out of Ball’s fill-ins at point guard, though Tyler Ennis (six points, three rebounds, one assist) and rookie Alex Caruso (eight rebounds, four assists, three assists) were steady enough with the ball to help the team log its third straight game with 10 turnovers or fewer.
All told, the Lakers have now won four in a row and eight of their last 10 since snapping a season-worst nine-game skid. Keeping those good times rolling on Sunday against the Toronto Raptors, who are 17-4 at the Air Canada Centre, will put L.A.’s recent uptick to the test.
Especially if Lonzo’s balky left knee forces him to miss a seventh straight game.