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LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts against the Chicago Bulls.

The Chicago Bulls defeated the Los Angeles Lakers on the road, earning a 149-115 victory. It was the largest margin for the Bulls in the history of the series and it featured a career performance by rookie forward Matas Buzelis.

The No. 11 overall pick of the 2024 draft, Buzelis posted a career-high 31 points on 66.7% shooting, including going 5-for-10 from beyond the arc.

Buzelis was also asked about his defensive efforts, particularly against LeBron James.

“I think it was good,” Buzelis told reporters on March 23. “Honestly, he didn’t really shoot much against me. I think he shot one time against me, in the mid-range. So I’d say it was a good job.  But he’s a great player, so he’s gonna get, what he’s gonna get.”

James finished the game with 17 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 steals in 31 minutes. He was 7-for-16 overall and 1-for-2 from deep.

It was his first game since March 8, ending a six-game absence with a groin strain.

Matas Buzelis Wants to be ‘Best Player Ever’

Buzelis also revealed his telling message to Bulls head coach Billy Donovan from before the season after the game.

“I told Billy in the beginning of the season,  I want to be pushed to the limits, so. I told him, ‘I want to be the best player – ever.’ That’s just how I think. He told me, ‘I’ll push you to be the best ever,’ and he’s done a great job with that, holding me accountable. And I thank him for that,” Buzelis said.

“Whenever he takes me off for a mistake, I get better when I come back in the game.”

Buzelis entered the contest averaging 7.3 points and 3.1 rebounds, shooting 43.1% overall and 32% on deep looks this season.

However, he has a 12.8/3.9/1.5 line over his last 24 appearances.

Former Bulls Star Raves About Matas Buzelis

Buzelis’ talent showed long before his breakout, but he had yet to put it together as consistently as he has during this surge. He has scored double-digit points in all but six outings. He had four appearances with 10-plus points before his breakout.

Former Bulls star Lauri Markkanen, now of the Utah Jazz, spoke highly of Buzelis.

“He’s good,” Markkanen told The Athletic’s Darnell Mayberry in comments published on March 19. “I think he’s got the skill and the toughness and, obviously, the athleticism, as we’ve seen. I think he has a huge upside. And what I’ve heard from talking to his teammates, (Nikola Vučević) and those guys, is that he’s a hard worker and a great kid. I think he’s going to be good.”

Buzelis’ breakout has come with an increase in playing time, as his minutes have nearly doubled from his pre-January 29 marks.

That too was long called for as the Bulls’ season appeared headed for the tank. Mayberry urged the Bulls to increase the rookie’s exposure after his minutes spiked from 15 MPG to 28 MPG following the All-Star break.

“The stretch run for the Bulls is solely for assessing what they have in their promising rookie,” Mayberry wrote on March 7. “Buzelis has intrigued with his mix of size, athleticism, versatility and confidence. The rest of the season is his runway to show exactly how big of a building block he is for the Bulls.”

Josh Buckhalter covers the NBA and NFL for Heavy.com. He has covered both leagues since 2016, including bylines at FanSided, Last Word on Sports and Clocker Sports. He’s based in Villa Park, Illinois. Follow Josh on Twitter and Instagram: @JoshGBuck More about Josh Buckhalter