After a modest week to open 2026, the Chicago Bulls didn't exactly make up for it last week.
They started on Monday in Boston with a miserable offensive performance. Then, they lost to a Pistons team without Cade Cunningham and Jalen Duren. The Bulls got a night off due to court condensation, which helped lead to a wire-to-wire blowout win over the Mavericks.
This week also highlighted the comebacks of Coby White and Jalen Smith.
Monday, Jan 5 2026: 115–101 loss to the Boston Celtics
What worked
After a disastrous first half on the offensive end, the Bulls looked different in the second half. They shot 55.6 percent from the field and went 11-of-18 from distance, including an explosive third quarter.
That offensive resurgence was orchestrated by Matas Buzelis, who scored 16 of his 26 points in the second half. The sophomore went 9-of-12 from the field and 3-of-4 from three. He has now scored in double figures in nine of his last 10 games and 20-plus in two of the last three.
What didn't
Chicago posted its lowest-scoring first quarter (14 points) and first half of the season (33 points). The Bulls shot 31.7 percent from the field, 5-of-28 from beyond the arc, and missed 14 straight threes at one point in the first half.
The defense wasn't much better, as Boston committed just seven turnovers — the second-fewest by a Bulls opponent this season — and drained 20 three-pointers.
The Celtics dominated the Bulls on the glass, turning 20 offensive rebounds (14 in the first half) into 26 second-chance points.
Wednesday, Jan 7 2026: 108–93 loss to the Detroit Pistons
What worked
Buzelis recorded back-to-back 20-point games for the second time this season, finishing with 20 points and a season-high four blocks. Nikola Vucevic filled the stat sheet with 20 points and 16 rebounds, while Ayo Dosunmu scored 24 points and Tre Jones handed out 12 assists.
What didn't
Chicago put up only 93 points — the second-fewest points in a game this season (91 vs. Golden State). Chicago is now 2–11 when it shoots under 45 percent from the floor this season.
With White, Smith, Zach Collins, and Josh Giddey all out, losing to the Pistons without three of their starters — Cade Cunningham, Jalen Duren, and Tobias Harris — still felt like an underperformance.
The turnovers were an issue, as the Bulls coughed it up 17 times, including five in the fourth quarter, when they were outscored 32–16. The Pistons, who rank 28th in the league in turnovers per game (15.9), had just eight miscues. Chicago is now 5–12 when committing at least 13 turnovers.
Saturday, Jan 10 2026: 125–101 win over the Dallas Mavericks
What worked
After two poor offensive games, the Bulls finally got it together, putting up 125 points while shooting 51.5 percent from the floor and 15-of-46 from distance.
Buzelis extended his career-best streak of games with 15 or more points to six. Vucevic recorded his third straight double-double, and Dosunmu added 20 points, eight assists (season-high), and four steals (season-high).
The Bulls led from start to finish for the first time this season. Cooper Flagg had one of his worst games of the season. Nobody on Dallas' roster scored more than 16 points (rookie Ryan Nembhard finished with 16).
What didn't
To be honest, the main concern once the game ended wasn’t how the Bulls played, but how the Bears were playing. The Bears ultimately came back to win the game — just as Ayo Dosunmu had predicted.
Player of the week
The leap Buzelis is taking in his second season deserves recognition. Buzelis is my Player of the Week after averaging 20.3 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks.
What's next?
The Bulls will play a struggling Rockets team in Houston on Tuesday (Jan. 13), before hosting the Utah Jazz, and will end the week with a baseball series against the Brooklyn Nets.