The Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers delivered one of the most thrilling endings of the NBA season last night, capped by a jaw-dropping half-court buzzer-beater from Josh Giddey. The Bulls, who trailed by as many as 18 points in the fourth quarter, pulled off an improbable 119-117 victory at the United Center, leaving fans and players alike in disbelief.
The game’s final moments were nothing short of chaotic. With 27 seconds left, the Lakers held a slim 111-110 lead. Austin Reaves, who had been sensational all night, extended the lead to three with a tough floater over Nikola Vučević. After a missed floater by Giddey on the next possession, Reaves was fouled and calmly sank two free throws, giving the Lakers what seemed like an insurmountable five-point lead with just 13 seconds remaining.
But the Bulls weren’t done. Head coach Billy Donovan drew up a brilliant inbounds play, leading to a quick corner three-pointer from Patrick Williams to cut the deficit to two. On the ensuing Lakers possession, LeBron James attempted to inbound the ball to Reaves, but Giddey intercepted the pass and quickly dished it to Coby White, who drained a three-pointer from the wing to give the Bulls a one-point lead with six seconds left.
The Lakers responded immediately. Reaves, continuing his clutch performance, drove to the basket and scored a layup with just 3.3 seconds remaining, putting the Lakers back on top, 117-116. It seemed like the final dagger—until Giddey had the last word.
With no timeouts remaining, Giddey inbounded the ball to Williams, who quickly passed it back to him. Giddey took one dribble to half-court and launched a prayer as the clock expired. The ball sailed through the air and hit nothing but net, sending the United Center into a frenzy. The shot, officially logged as a 46-foot heave, completed an 18-point fourth-quarter comeback and secured the Bulls’ fourth consecutive win.
“I’ve never made a game-winner like that before,” Giddey said postgame. “I don’t know if I’ll ever do it again, but I’ll take this one tonight.”
The final 12.6 seconds of Bulls-Lakers
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— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) March 28, 2025
The internet erupted with reactions to Giddey’s buzzer-beater, with fans and analysts calling it one of the most exciting finishes in recent memory.
