LeBron James delivered his best performance since joining the Philadelphia 76ers, helping his team defeat the Chicago Bulls 127-121 on Sunday, while the Los Angeles Lakers and Miami Heat also recorded important NBA victories.
James scored 22 points and contributed five assists as Philadelphia returned to winning ways following Friday’s defeat against Cleveland, when the veteran superstar managed just eight points.
Jaylen Brown led the Sixers with 29 points, while Tyrese Maxey added 27. Joel Embiid contributed 10 rebounds as Philadelphia improved its record to 9-2, marking the franchise’s best start through 11 games since 2000.
The Sixers took control early in the second quarter and maintained their advantage despite Chicago reducing the deficit to two points late in the contest.
Josh Giddey impressed for the Bulls with 19 points and 15 assists, but Chicago suffered its seventh consecutive defeat. The hosts were also without Norman Powell because of back discomfort.
Meanwhile, the Lakers secured a 121-116 victory over the Detroit Pistons despite missing Luka Doncic, who was sidelined with lower back tightness.
Austin Reaves produced an outstanding performance, scoring 43 points and converting two crucial free throws in the closing seconds.
The Lakers, now 9-2, led throughout the contest but faced intense pressure during the fourth quarter. Detroit’s Daniss Jenkins scored 31 points off the bench, while Kevin Huerter contributed 24.
Elsewhere, Giannis Antetokounmpo powered the Miami Heat to a 114-108 victory over the Sacramento Kings.
Antetokounmpo finished with 29 points, 14 rebounds, three assists and two blocks. Klay Thompson added 23 points, including seven three-pointers, while Bam Adebayo contributed 18 points and eight rebounds.
Sacramento’s Darius Acuff Jr. registered 32 points and 10 assists, but the Kings slipped to 1-9 and remained without a home victory.
Miami built a 68-59 halftime advantage and extended its lead to 16 points before Sacramento fought back to level the score at 95 in the fourth quarter. However, the Heat regained control to seal their fourth win of the season.
The Kings were without Domantas Sabonis because of left knee soreness and also announced the trade of Nique Clifford to the Oklahoma City Thunder for two future second-round draft picks.
In other NBA news, the Charlotte Hornets confirmed injury setbacks for Kon Knueppel and Dennis Schroder. Both suffered left hamstring strains, with Knueppel expected to miss at least four weeks and Schroder sidelined for a minimum of two weeks.
