Giddey goes big but Bulls' run to post-season stalls

Josh Giddey continues to break NBA records but he can't seem to buy enough wins at the moment to get Chicago into the playoffs.

The 23-year-old Australian guard, who has six triple-doubles and 24 double-doubles for the Bulls this season, set a new personal benchmark for assists against Cleveland on Thursday (Friday AEDT).

Giddey tallied nine points, six rebounds, 19 assists, one steal and two blocked shots, but the Cavaliers hung on to win 115-110 after a 29-point lead in the third quarter dwindled to one in the closing minutes.

The 19 assists is the most by an Australian in the NBA, overtaking fellow Melburnian Ben Simmons' previous high of 17, and the most by a Chicago player since Ennis Whatley in February, 1985.

Giddey has played 47 games in a productive, yet injury-disrupted, season and is averaging 17.7 points, 8.8 assists and 8.4 rebounds per game, but the Bulls (28-41) are 12th in the Eastern Conference standings, having lost six of their past 10.

They are eight wins behind Charlotte, who occupy the final play-in spot, with just 12 games of the regular season remaining.

James Harden led all scorers at United Center with 36, while Evan Mobley added 26 points and 14 rebounds for the East's fourth-placed Cavs (43-27).

In Miami, Luka Doncic scored 60 points, LeBron James had a triple-double on a night when he tied the NBA record for games played, and the Los Angeles Lakers pushed their season-best winning streak to eight games with a 134-126 win over the Heat (38-32).

It tied the second-most points Doncic ever scored in a game, behind a 73-point night against Atlanta in 2024 and matching a 60-point night against New York in 2022.

Doncic - the NBA's scoring leader - has now scored at least 30 points in eight consecutive games, while James finished with 19 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists to help the Lakers (45-25) consolidate third place in the Western Conference.

"It wasn't even like he was trying to force his way to get it (60 points)," James said.

"I mean, everything came in the flow. Once he got hot in that third (quarter), obviously he had a red hand and he just kept it going and then made some big time plays for us in the fourth ... big time, big time, big time."

San Antonio are second in the West, but they were pushed all the way by seventh-placed Phoenix.

Victor Wembanyama hit a 17-foot, pull-up jumper with a second left as the Spurs (52-18) wrapped up a playoff spot to end a six-season drought, winning 101-100 for a fourth-straight victory.

Wembanyama had 34 points and 12 rebounds, while Collin Gillespie top-scored for the Suns (39-31) with 24 points.

With AP.