First forfeited Saturday night, then uncertain on the morning of the game, "LBJ" finally played 30 minutes off the bench after being sidelined for a month because of a right foot injury.

The Lakers star piled up 19 points (8 rebounds) in the second game of his career as a backup, in 20 seasons in the league.

But it was not enough against the Bulls led by Zach LaVine (32 pts) and DeMar DeRozan (17 pts, 10 assists).

"I take my hat off to them," Lakers coach Darvin Ham said. "They showed a sense of urgency tonight. We came a little flat, we lost the ball very early. We weren't aggressive enough, physical enough."

In the post-match conference, James, 38 but always in dazzling form when he is on the pitch, revealed that he refused to have foot surgery in order to fight for a playoff spot.

The Lakers fall to 9th place in the Western Conference, just ahead of the Oklahoma City Thunder, who beat Portland 112-118 and occupy the last qualifying spot for the playoffs.

Lakers megastar LeBron James faces Zach LaVine #8 of the Chicago Bulls during an NBA game on March 21, 26 in Los Angeles © KEVORK DJANSEZIAN/GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP

For their part, the Bulls confirmed their tenth place in the East, just behind Toronto, winner (114-104) of Washington, which dropped to twelfth place and saw its chances of participating in the playoffs dwindle.

Qualified Cavs

By also losing to the Timberwolves (96-99), Stephen Curry's Warriors (20 pts, 9 assists), 6th in the West and virtually last qualified for the playoffs, let Minnesota get dangerously close in the standings. Rudy Gobert had 10 points and 18 rebounds for the Wolves.

In Atlanta, the Hawks lost (119-123) to Memphis, led by Ja Morant's 27 units as a starter, and see their eighth place in the Eastern Conference seriously threatened.

Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry faces Minnesota Timberwolves' Rudy Gobert on March 26, 2023 in San Francisco © EZRA SHAW/GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP

Earlier in the day, despite star Luka Doncic's 40 points and 12 rebounds, Dallas lost to Charlotte, one of the worst teams in the NBA (110-104).

The Mavs are still stumbling in 11th place in a very tight Western Conference, where only four wins separate the 6th from the 12th.

And they will have to do without Doncic on Monday in Indiana, the Slovenian point guard having been penalized for his 16th technical foul of the season, synonymous with a one-game suspension.

At the top of the standings in the East, Cleveland dominated Houston (108-91) and punched its ticket to the playoffs, a first since 2018.

It's the first time since 1998 that the Cavs have reached the playoffs without LeBron James.

Finally, in the absence of Jayson Tatum, injured, Boston relied on Jaylen Brown (41 pts, 13 rebounds) to correct San Antonio (137-93), penultimate in the West.

Jaylen Brown of the Boston Celtics during an NBA game against the Sacramento Kings on March 27, 2023 in Sacramento © EZRA SHAW/GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP

The Celtics keep the pressure on Milwaukee in the race for first place in the East.

© 2023 AFP