Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic returned to the lineup on Saturday night after a one-game absence. With Los Angeles hosting the Chicago Bulls, Doncic started alongside LeBron James who also made his return, having missed the last seven games with a groin injury.

Entering this contest with 11-straight games of at least 20 points, Doncic needed just one half of play to continue that streak. Finishing the first half with 29 points, seven rebounds and two assists, Doncic also converted on seven of his 10 three-point attempts which tied his career-high for triples in any half (via Ryan Ward of Lakers Nation).

Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77)

© Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Doncic’s first half also made NBA history. With 29 points, seven rebounds, two assists and seven made threes at halftime, Doncic became the first player to record that line or better since the league began tracking such data (via Basketball Reference’s StatHead).

NBA quarter-specific data began during the 1996-97 season, and no player since then has had a half like Doncic had against Chicago. The concerning news for the Lakers was they trailed Chicago 65-62 entering the break despite Doncic’s historic showing.

In a tightly-contested Western Conference seeding battle, the Lakers entered play as the third seed, just percentage points ahead of the Denver Nuggets who sit in fourth. Just four losses separate the third seed Lakers and seventh seed Los Angeles Clippers, making every game crucial between now and the end of the regular season.

LA welcomed back several key contributors on Saturday, as it hopes to remain healthy for the regular season’s stretch run.