The Chicago Bulls got their first real look at the 2026-27 season on Wednesday, and the opener against the Phoenix Suns laid bare one thing fast: the Bulls still have a long way to go before their physicality matches what they want it to be.
There were some encouraging moments early at the United Center. Caleb Williams flashed a handful of highlights, and Matas Buzelis came out with a clear intent to attack the paint on offense. Chicago also jumped out quickly, building a 10-point lead by the 8:33 mark of the first quarter.
But once the Suns settled in, the game started to expose a gap in force and edge between the two rosters.
Phoenix answered Chicago’s early push by getting bodies on the ball and closing off the driving lanes the Bulls had been finding, especially through Buzelis. Dillon Brooks set the tone for that approach.
He drew eight free-throw attempts and added a steal, and his energy spread through the Suns’ defense. Jordan Goodwin piled up six steals, Ryan Dunn added two, and Jalen Green chipped in two more.
The Suns also made life difficult on the glass. Two-way center Tobe Awaka did his part for Chicago with 11 rebounds, including six on the offensive end, but the Bulls didn’t have much of a matchup answer for Khaman Maluach, who finished with seven rebounds.
That matters for a team that spent the 2026 offseason talking up physicality as a roster-building priority. Bryson Graham made that emphasis clear, and Wednesday’s preseason game showed how much work remains. The Bulls won their first preseason game, but the bigger issue in a game like this is how the team actually looks, not the final score.
Phoenix brought heavy ball pressure through the middle of the game, especially between the second and third quarters, and that’s the kind of test Tiago Splitter may need to solve with adjustments for his offense. Chicago also has a defensive problem to sort through, particularly when it comes to stopping dribble penetration. The Suns completely matched the Bulls’ paint scoring with 52 points in the paint of their own, a clear sign of how often they were able to get where they wanted to go.
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