Darren & Vic’s Takes: NBA Week 15

Published: Wednesday, January 28, 2026

by Darren Worrell and Victor Lisboa

The NBA is in Week 15, which means Darren and Vic are back to recap the big games that caught their attention this past week.

Darren: Los Angeles Lakers vs Chicago Bulls

The Los Angeles Lakers (28-17) took down the Chicago Bulls (23-23) by a score of 129-118 at the United Center on Monday night.

What a wild ride it has been this season for the Lakers. Every article that I have written about them feels like a love-hate relationship. Some games have been alright, some great, and some terrible.

Over the last stretch of games, there is really nothing negative to say. After a terrible defeat against the Hornets they bounced back, winning four of their last five games.

They now hold a 28-17 record and sit fifth in the Western Conference. Luka Doncic still leads the league and team with 33.4 points per game. He has been one of the most consistent players not only on the Lakers’ roster, but the entire league.

On the other hand, the Chicago Bulls have battled a lot of injuries. Both Coby White and Josh Giddey have missed time this season. However, they have since returned and stepped up in a big way.

In their last game against the Celtics, Derrick Rose’s number 1 jersey was raised to the rafters, and it will never be worn again by another player in the franchise's history. 

Rose did so much for the organization during his time there, and it is tough how his career turned out, since his injury he hasn’t been the same. He’s arguably the biggest “what if” in NBA history?

The Bulls are having a decent season currently ninth in the Eastern Conference. Their record does not define them as they have also won four of their last five contests. Both White and Giddey lead the team in scoring with 18.8 points per game, which has fueled their success. 

In this game, the first quarter was surprising. The refs did not blow their whistles much, despite some questionable calls for both teams. They let the teams play, resulting in a back-and-forth contest.

Both teams were hitting threes as the rim protection was lacking, and the Lakers defense was actually on point with efficient closeouts. 

In the second quarter, the Bulls looked sloppy turning the ball over, and the Lakers took advantage, building their lead up to 20 points. It was the LeBron James show in the first half as he scored 20 points. 

The second half saw a change of events, with the Bulls coming out with a different sense of urgency. At one point, they were down by just one point, all due to their red hot three-point shooting.

Coby White also moved past Kirk Hinrich for second place in three pointers made in franchise History. However, it was a Luka Doncic master class, as he scored 20 points in just this quarter. 

In the fourth, the Lakers picked up where they left off. Notably, Jaxson Hayes threw down an Eastbay between the legs dunk and after that it was clear the game was over. Luka finished with 46 points, Lebron with 24, and Rui Hachimura posted 23 off the bench.

Victor: New York Knicks vs Philadelphia 76ers

The New York Knicks (27-18) got revenge against their Atlantic Division rival the Philadelphia 76ers (24-20) on Saturday afternoon in Philly as they defeated the Sixers 112-109.

The Knicks dropped their first two games against the Sixers this season. Prior to their previous win against the Brooklyn Nets, the Knicks had lost nine of their last 11 games, distancing themselves from the first seeded Pistons.

Frustration among the players had been building, and Jalen Brunson had called for a players-only meeting to get the team on the right track. They subsequently blew out the Brooklyn Nets by 54 points, which was refreshing for Knicks fans, but many wanted a more convincing win to ease their worries.

The 76ers find themselves in a more promising position this time of year than they did last year. They currently occupy the sixth seed in the East, with four teams behind them within three games of the seed.

The 76ers have gained notoriety for being labeled an injury prone team, specifically among their star players, starting with Joel Embiid. He along with Paul George have already missed a combined 40 games this season.

However, Embiid has picked up his play as of late, averaging 27 points, 7.3 rebounds and 3.8 assists in his last ten games. The 76ers have gone 5-5 in their last ten games prior to this matchup. Joel Embiid and Paul George were ready to go and in the lineup for this matchup.

It was a high scoring first quarter in this game, Jalen Brunson had his typical early eruption, with 14 points in the period. The quarter ended in a tie at 34 points each. The 76ers took the lead in the second quarter and ended the half with a 4-point lead.

OG Anunoby shined in the second quarter with numerous scoring opportunities to build momentum into the third. The 76ers held the lead for a short time in the third quarter, this was when the script flipped in the Knicks favor.

Led by star point guard Jalen Brunson, the Knicks started the half on a 21-7 run, instantly taking the lead back and taking command of this game. However, the Sixers responded back in the fourth quarter with their own run to cut it to a two point-game late.

Yet on the final possession of the game, Embiid turned it over after Anunoby stole it to secure the victory. The Knicks won this close one by a final score of 112-109. Embiid played a season-high 46 minutes, and looked much like his MVP form.

He finished with 38 points, 11 rebounds and 5 assists, shooting an efficient 13-21 from the field and 3-5 from three. Brunson led the Knicks with 31 points, 5 rebounds and 6 assists, and Anunoby was vital to this victory adding 23 points, 7 rebounds and 2 steals. 

These two teams meet again for their fourth and final matchup in two weeks on Wednesday, February 11 at 7:30 P.M.

Darren Worrell and Victor Lisboa can be reached at darren.worrell@student.shu.edu, victor.lisboa@student.shu.edu 

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