Giddey made NBA history as the first to notch a triple-double and a buzzer-beater against the Lakers

CHICAGO — Thursday night at the United Center delivered what might be the most thrilling finish of the NBA season. As time ticked down and the Chicago Bulls trailed, Josh Giddey launched a half-court shot that swished through the net at the buzzer, clinching a 119-117 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers. The moment the ball left his hands, Giddey knew it was good. Seconds later, his teammates mobbed him in celebration.

“Doing it with these guys, this team, made it a special moment,” Giddey said after the game, still riding the high of his game-winning shot.

The win capped a rollercoaster night for both teams. For the Lakers, it was a crushing blow. Just 24 hours earlier, LeBron James had secured a buzzer-beating tip-in to defeat the Indiana Pacers. Now, they found themselves on the wrong end of a similarly dramatic ending, becoming only the fifth team in NBA history to win and lose on back-to-back days via buzzer-beaters, according to Basketball-Reference.com. To make matters worse, this was their second loss to the Bulls in less than a week, following a blowout defeat in Los Angeles the previous Saturday.

“Devastation,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said, capturing the mood in the locker room. “It’s a hell of a way to lose a basketball game.”

The Lakers had held a 13-point lead midway through the fourth quarter and were up 115-110 after Austin Reaves sank two free throws with 12.6 seconds remaining. Victory seemed within their grasp. But the Bulls, who have shown resilience in recent weeks, refused to give up.

The comeback started when Patrick Williams drilled a 3-pointer with 9.8 seconds left, cutting the gap to two points. Then came a pivotal moment: Giddey intercepted a careless inbounds pass from James and fed Coby White, who knocked down another 3-pointer with 6.1 seconds remaining to give Chicago a 116-115 lead. The crowd erupted.

But the Lakers fought back. Reaves, who led his team with 30 points, drove for a layup with 3.3 seconds left, putting LA ahead 117-116. It seemed like another heroic moment for the purple and gold. Yet Chicago had one last play up its sleeve.

With no timeouts remaining, Giddey took the inbounds pass from Williams, dribbled once, and launched a shot from near the Bulls’ logo. He held his follow-through as the ball sailed through the air, dropping through the net as the red lights flashed around the backboard. The United Center exploded in a mix of joy and disbelief.

“Wow. Probably the craziest game of my life,” Bulls guard Kevin Huerter posted on X afterward, echoing the sentiments of everyone who witnessed the chaos.

Beyond the clutch shot, Giddey was sensational throughout, finishing with a triple-double: 25 points, 14 rebounds, and 11 assists. It marked his fifth triple-double of the season, trailing only Michael Jordan’s 15 in 1988-89 in Bulls history. Notably, Giddey became the first player in NBA history to record a triple-double and a game-winning buzzer-beater against the Lakers, per Basketball-Reference.

White complemented Giddey’s brilliance with 26 points, including five 3-pointers, extending his career-first streak of scoring 35 or more points in his previous three games. The Bulls hit 11 of 14 3-pointers in the fourth quarter, with three of those coming in the final 10 seconds to stun LA.

“We’ve shown over the last month and a half that we can beat anybody,” Giddey said. “The way we play wears teams down. We run, we push the pace, and a lot of veteran teams don’t want to deal with that.”

More than just a thrilling moment, this win was a testament to Chicago’s turnaround. A month ago, the Bulls looked like a defeated team. After trading Zach LaVine to Sacramento and losing six straight games to fall to 22-35, their season seemed over. Since then, they’ve gone 11-5, taking down strong teams like the Lakers (twice), Denver, and Indiana. Thursday’s victory brought their record to 33-40, keeping their playoff hopes alive.

Coach Billy Donovan credits this surge to a mindset shift that began in September. Before training camp, players returned to the facility and played pickup games with a 14-second shot clock to build stamina and establish a fast-paced identity. “We have to be in great shape to play this way,” Donovan said. “That mentality took hold early, and it’s paying off now.”

For the Lakers, the loss cut deep. James, who finished with 17 points, 12 assists, and five rebounds, took responsibility for the late turnover that sparked Chicago’s rally. “A horrible turnover by me,” he said. “Miscommunication before that. AR tried to save us. Hats off to the Bulls.”

Despite Reaves’ heroics and a balanced effort, Luka Doncic added 25 points and 10 rebounds, while Jaxson Hayes chipped in 19, the Lakers couldn’t hold on. They’ve now lost eight of their last 12 games, a troubling trend as the season nears its end. Their next chance to regroup comes Saturday against Memphis, the final stop on a tough four-game road trip.

Giddey’s 47-footer wasn’t just the longest game-winner in tracked Bulls history, it was a symbol of this team’s refusal to quit. For a player who admitted he’d never hit a game-winner before, the moment felt surreal. “As soon as it left my hands, it felt good,” he said with a grin.

Thursday night in Chicago will go down as one of the NBA’s most unforgettable finishes.