Three undefeated teams remain: the reigning NBA Champion Oklahoma City Thunder, the Victor Wembanyama-led San Antonio Spurs, and, surprisingly enough, the Chicago Bulls. Chicago is 5-0 for the first time since the 1996–97 season, when they won 69 games and an NBA Championship. That season, Chicago opened with 12 straight wins before finally falling to the Utah Jazz on November 23.
The 2025–26 squad has already been tested, with three of its five victories coming against playoff teams from a year ago. Still, the Bulls’ schedule won’t be easing up anytime soon. Over their next five games, they’ll see the New York Knicks once more, followed by the Philadelphia 76ers, Milwaukee Bucks, Cleveland Cavaliers, and the undefeated Spurs.
Chicago is on pace for a playoff berth
Nonetheless, Chicago’s impeccable start deserves recognition, no matter what lies ahead. Prior to this season, 82 teams have opened 5-0, and 77 of them went on to reach the postseason. As it stands, the Bulls’ start gives them a 93.9 percent historical chance of earning a playoff berth.
What a radical shift it’s been from Chicago’s uninspiring Play-In appearance to a tumultuous offseason, to now an undefeated start. The Bulls weren’t supposed to be here. They’re already 15 percent of the way to their projected win total, and it’s two days into November.
The Bulls’ identity, playstyle, depth, and continuity were largely overlooked before the season. Lacking a marquee All-Star, Chicago was dismissed without ever stepping on the court. Yet in today’s NBA, balance often trumps individual stardom, proving just how effective a team-first approach can be—a far cry from the superstar-driven era that preceded it.
While the Bulls may have an All-Star in waiting, six players are averaging double figures, and Billy Donovan is rotating eight players for more than 20 minutes per game. Impressively, Chicago’s winning ways have come without last season’s leading scorer, Coby White.
Chicago’s 5-0 start could be dismissed as a flash in the pan or chalked up to a bit of luck. After all, opposing teams just can’t seem to hit three-pointers against the Bulls. But they’re doing it without White and even Zach Collins. On top of that, their defense has undergone a complete 180 from last season.
There’s a lot to like about this Bulls team. Josh Giddey has lived up to last season’s post-All-Star break hype, the talk of Nikola Vucevic’s decline was vastly overstated, Ayo Dosunmu is emerging as a sixth man of the year candidate, and Matas Buzelis is one of the most exciting young players in the NBA.
But this is no longer just a feel-good story—the Bulls must now be seen as legitimate Eastern Conference contenders until proven otherwise. A 5-0 start doesn’t guarantee a postseason berth, but it’s awfully close.