The Chicago Bulls are 2-0 to start the 2025-26 NBA season after an unexpected 110-98 road win over the Orlando Magic. While it would be easy -- and correct -- to praise Chicago's defense in the victory, the more promising development might be how successful its offense was despite the absence of injured guard Coby White.
Small sample size alert, but these kinds of performances will make the front office's decision on White's upcoming free agency shockingly easy.
Surely, the Magic were having an off night, but the Bulls held Orlando to just 39.1 percent shooting, kept their opponent remarkably quiet from 3-point range (3-for-24, 12.5 percent) and forced 20 turnovers. Paolo Banchero had a game-high 24 points, but he needed 21 shots to do it. It was an unusually effective defensive performance from a team not known for its acumen on that end of the floor.
But the offensive numbers are low-key even more impressive sans White.
Bulls offense thrives with Coby White on the bench
White developed into Chicago's go-to scorer last season after Zach LaVine was traded to the Sacramento Kings, and was prepared to carry that production into this season. Unfortunately, he missed all five exhibition games with a calf injury that is now expected to keep him out through at least the first few weeks of the regular season.
His absence was not an issue against the Magic as the Bulls put together a surprisingly effective and efficient scoring performance.
Chicago assisted on 26 of its 39 made baskets. Seven players scored in double figures. The bench, paced by Jalen Smith's 16 points and Ayo Dosunmu's 15, outscored the starters 58-52.
More than two-thirds of the Bulls' made shots were assisted. Ninety percent of their made threes came off a direct pass. The ball was moving, players were unselfish and the team passed up good shots for great ones. Billy Donovan's squad even made it an emphasis to get to the rim; 49.1 percent of Chicago's shots came in the paint and it racked up 29 free-throw attempts.
Through two games, more than 70 percent of the Bulls' shots have come via an assist, which ranks third in the NBA. More than 95 percent of their made threes have been assisted. A team that ranked 29th in free-throw attempts per game last season (19.1) is 9th this year (30.5). Chicago shot 42.0 triples per game in 2024-25, second-most in the league. So far this season, the Bulls have attempted only 28.5 threes a night.
There are still 80 games to be played, and White remains the team's best scorer, but Chicago's offense is operating at an incredibly high level without him. If that continues, keeping the 25-year-old around with a massive contract extension makes less and less sense.