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Lakers Earn No. 1 Seed After 105-82 Win, Will Play Warriors in Las Vegas Semifinal

Balanced shooting and strong bench production have lifted several Lakers prospects, putting pressure on the front office to settle roster decisions before training camp.

Overview

  • The Lakers, which defeated the Chicago Bulls on Thursday, clinched a spot in the Las Vegas Summer League semifinals and secured the top overall seed with a 105-82 victory.
  • Los Angeles shot 49.2 percent as a team, used a deep 11-man rotation that produced six double-digit scorers, and saw its second unit outscore Chicago by a 52-34 margin.
  • Two-way guard Chris Mañon continued an offensive breakout with 16 points, rookie Cameron Carr added 14 in another steady outing, and Arthur Kaluma contributed 14 off the bench in a strong showing.
  • Chicago’s No. 4 pick Caleb Wilson led all scorers with 21 points but committed eight turnovers, and the Bulls sank only 3-of-33 three-pointers, a primary factor in the loss.
  • Kaluma is not on an NBA contract, creating urgency for the Lakers to use a standard or two-way deal to retain him, and the team now prepares to face Golden State on Saturday at 5:30 p.m. PT in a Prime Video-televised semifinal with Summer League performances set to shape training-camp and G League roster moves.