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Bulls' home opener loss defined by these five storylines

Chicago had three important things happen in this game, and two that needed to be better.
ByAshley Mezewich
Oct 24, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA;  Chicago Bulls forward Matas Buzelis (14) and forward Caleb Wilson (8) during the first half against the Washington Wizards at United Center.  Mandatory Credit: Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images
Oct 24, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bulls forward Matas Buzelis (14) and forward Caleb Wilson (8) during the first half against the Washington Wizards at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Chicago Bulls fell to the Wizards, 124-120, in their home opener.

While Chicago didn't get the victory, this game was defined by five storylines, three of which were good, two of which weren't.

Caleb Wilson's dominance

Caleb Wilson looked incredible on the offensive end, especially attacking the rim. Wilson attacked the paint aggressively. That helped him get to the free-throw line as often as he did.

The rookie finished with a game-high 30 points. He shot 10-for-24 from the field and 9-for-11 from the free-throw line. He grabbed 14 rebounds and had two steals and a block.

Wilson was crucial in Chicago's success against Washington.

Matas Buzelis has his best game of the season

Matas Buzelis played his best offensive game so far. He finished with 21 points on 7-for-13 shooting from the field (53.8%). Both of these mark his best numbers this season.

He really bounced back from the game against the Bucks.

He finally knocked down a 3-pointer in this game. After missing all of his attempts from deep in the first two games, he knocked down two against Washington.

Having Buzelis back on track offensively will be big. He and Wilson can be the box-office stars for Chicago.

The fight

The fight from Chicago was impressive. After that third quarter, it didn't look very great for Chicago.

The Bulls picked it up in the fourth quarter and got back into the game. Although they lost by four, seeing how well they fought to get back in the game was amazing. It's difficult to teach this, and it's questionable how much the team last year could have done this.

This makes their fourth-quarter production that much more important.

However, the fight began earlier than that with Chicago leading at halftime.

Seeing this team compete against the Wizards is a great sign.

The third quarter and 3-point shooting

The Wizards outscored the Chicago Bulls 40-20 in the third quarter. Although the Bulls got back in the game, they cannot afford to allow their opponent to dominate like this, especially in the second half.

As for 3-point shooting, Chicago shot just 28% from beyond the arc against Washington. The Bulls are last in the league in 3-point shooting at 22.6%.

Getting the 3-ball going will make this offense even more productive. More importantly, it will make Chicago's offense even harder to guard. This should open up more looks for Wilson and Buzelis inside.

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