The Bulls had little to celebrate entering Friday night’s matchup with the Hawks, especially with Caleb Wilson sidelined by a broken hand that is expected to keep him out for at least six weeks. But Buddy Hield gave Chicago a reason to pause and take notice.
Hield moved past Kyle Lowry on the NBA’s all-time 3-point list, climbing to No. 14 with 2,210 made threes. The next names in front of him are Jamal Crawford, Jason Terry, Vince Carter and Kevin Durant as he continues his push toward the top 10.
Chicago brought Hield in before the season in a three-way trade with the Charlotte Hornets and Atlanta Hawks, the same franchise where he had previously played. The Bulls have been looking for outside shooting, and Hield has brought exactly that kind of skill set to the roster. Through eight games, he is averaging 5.8 points per game while shooting 48.6% from the field.
His most recent appearance came on October 30 against the Boston Celtics, when he logged 17 minutes, scored 5 points and watched Chicago fall 125-111. With Wilson out and the Bulls making roster adjustments, Hield now has more room to make an impact.
The veteran guard’s path to this milestone started when the New Orleans Hornets drafted him in 2016 out of Oklahoma. He earned All-Rookie First Team honors in 2017 and later won the 2020 3-point contest during NBA All-Star Weekend in Chicago.
Chicago entered Friday at 1-9 and riding an eight-game losing streak as it opened group-stage play in the NBA Cup. As this story was being published, the Bulls were ahead of Atlanta 83-79 with under two minutes left in the third quarter, and Hield had 7 points in seven minutes.
In Other News...
Bulls Finally Showed The Edge Fans Needed Before This Road Trip
The Bulls walked into a tricky spot and finally played like a team determined to stop the slide, ending an eight-game losing streak with a 125-117 overtime win over the Hawks. Norman Powell led the way with 33 points, and Chicago got enough from several others to turn a tense game into the kind of response it badly needed before heading out on the road.
Josh Giddey was a major part of the push, stuffing the box score and helping steady the offense when the game tightened late. For a team that had been searching for some edge, the bigger takeaway was less about one hot night and more about the way the Bulls carried themselves when the pressure rose, a sign they may have found something worth taking with them beyond Atlanta. [Read more 🡒]
Bulls Finally End Skid But Jalen Smith Leaves A New Concern
The Bulls finally got a much-needed result in NBA Cup group play, snapping an eight-game losing streak with a 125-117 overtime win over the Hawks. It was the kind of game Chicago had to have just to steady itself, and it came at a time when every possession has carried a little extra weight as the schedule keeps moving.
Late in overtime, though, the night took on a different tone when Hawks big man Jalen Smith suffered a wrist injury and headed to the locker room. The Bulls will turn right back to work with games coming against the Timberwolves, Cavaliers and Nets, but the bigger question out of this one is whether Atlanta will be dealing with another injury concern after a hard-fought finish. [Read more 🡒]
Bulls Face One Big Frontcourt Question Against A Red-Hot Wolves
The Bulls head into the second night of a back-to-back with a frontcourt issue hanging over their matchup in Minnesota, where the Timberwolves have stayed strong even without Anthony Edwards. Chicago is trying to sort out its big-man rotation on the fly, and Jalen Smiths status is part of that equation after he was listed questionable following the previous game.
Smiths availability matters because the Bulls are already dealing with the usual wear and tear that comes with a back-to-back, and Minnesota has been playing with enough consistency to make any lineup uncertainty feel more significant. The Wolves are still operating without Edwards, but they have found ways to keep winning, which leaves Chicago needing clarity inside before tipoff and a little more stability than a late injury report can provide. [Read more 🡒]