Bulls’ Late-Game Woes Underscore Bigger Problems Beneath the Surface
The Chicago Bulls are in a freefall. After a red-hot 6-0 start, they’ve dropped 10 of their last 13 games, now sitting at 9-10.
But it’s not just the losses - it’s how they’re losing that raises red flags. Blown leads, late-game turnovers, and defensive breakdowns have become recurring themes.
And while clutch-time struggles are usually something you associate with playoff-caliber teams fine-tuning their championship mettle, for these Bulls, it’s become a matter of survival.
Let’s start with the numbers. Chicago has already played in 14 clutch games this season - third-most in the league - and while they’ve won seven, the underlying metrics tell a more troubling story.
Their net rating in those situations? A dismal -15.4, ranking 25th league-wide.
That’s not just bad luck - that’s a sign of a team that can’t execute when it matters most.
Take last week as a snapshot of the problem. Against Charlotte, the Bulls clawed back from a deficit to take a one-point lead into the fourth quarter.
But instead of closing it out, they went ice cold while the Hornets caught fire. Then came Indiana - a gritty showing against a Finals-level opponent, even without Coby White - only to be undone by Pascal Siakam’s buzzer-beater.
And the pattern continued Monday against Orlando: a second-half lead squandered, another game slipping through their fingers in the final minutes.
This isn’t just a rough stretch. It’s a trend - and a costly one.
Offensively, the Bulls average just 27.9 points in the fourth quarter, ranking 21st. That’s not going to cut it in today’s NBA, where closing quarters strong often decides games.
Their clutch-time efficiency sits at 22nd overall. And for a team that prides itself on tempo and transition play, they’re only 17th in pace during clutch situations - a clear disconnect between identity and execution.
Defensively, it’s more of the same. The Bulls are allowing opponents to hit 4.1 field goals per clutch game - second-worst in the league.
They’re also getting bullied on the glass, giving up 4.5 offensive rebounds in those moments, fourth-worst in the NBA. In crunch time, it’s not just that the Bulls aren’t getting stops - they’re not even making it hard for teams to score.
And then there’s the sloppiness. Turnovers in the clutch rank them 21st, and that lack of composure is killing them. Whether it’s a bad pass, a misread, or simply poor spacing, the Bulls too often beat themselves when the pressure ratchets up.
The frequency of these close games might seem like a positive - a sign they’re competitive. But in reality, it’s a symptom of deeper issues.
Good teams build leads and protect them. Struggling teams let games get tight and then hope for the best.
Right now, Chicago falls squarely into the latter category.
What’s missing? For starters, a true closer.
When the offense breaks down and the shot clock winds down, the Bulls don’t have a consistent go-to option who can create something out of nothing. That’s a problem in any era, but especially in today’s NBA, where isolation scoring and late-clock execution are essential.
Defensively, they lose their edge when it matters most. The rotations slow down, the communication breaks down, and the urgency fades. Combine that with poor rebounding and a drop in tempo, and it’s no surprise they’re getting outplayed in the final minutes.
The Bulls have shown flashes - they’ve won half their clutch games - but the margin for error is razor-thin. If they want to climb out of the play-in tier and into the playoff picture, they need to start closing games like a team that belongs there. That means tightening up defensively, protecting the ball, and rediscovering their offensive identity when the game is on the line.
Right now, they’re stuck in a frustrating middle ground - competitive enough to hang around, but not consistent enough to finish the job. And until they fix what’s breaking down in the clutch, they’ll continue to live - and lose - on the edge.