The Bulls’ second preseason game arrives with a familiar kind of pressure: not on the scoreboard, but on the details. After opening camp play with a 124-117 win over the Phoenix Suns, Chicago gets another look at itself Friday night at the United Center against the Memphis Grizzlies, and the biggest questions are less about who scores and more about who can hold up on the other end.
That first preseason outing gave the Bulls plenty to like offensively. Rookies Caleb Wilson and Dailyn Swain both flashed, and third-year forward Matas Buzelis made an early impression.
But the defensive tape told a different story, and that has been head coach Tiago Splitter’s main message in camp. The Bulls were loose with fouls, had trouble protecting the rim, and at times looked rushed when plays broke down.
There were turnovers. There were possessions that unraveled fast.
Now comes the next chance to clean that up.
Memphis should provide a useful stress test. The Grizzlies bring the kind of physical, aggressive style that forces a team to respond in real time, and Chicago’s challenge is to match that energy while showing more discipline than it did in Game 1. This is preseason, yes, but it is also where a roster starts to form habits and define its identity.
One of the more intriguing personal angles belongs to Wilson. He is likely to have extra motivation going into this one because Cameron Boozer was selected right before him on draft night. Wilson has made it clear he wants to face each of the three players taken ahead of him, and Boozer is next on that list.
Their last meeting came in Summer League and turned into a showcase. Boozer’s team got the one-point win, but Wilson was the louder headline after finishing with 35 points and seven made threes.
He matched the total number of threes he made at UNC in that first Summer League game. On Wednesday, though, Wilson missed all four of his attempts from deep.
Chicago’s injury situation adds another layer to the night. Before tipoff, Splitter said Jalen Smith will miss the game because of foot soreness. That puts Smith alongside Nic Claxton and Zach Collins on the injury report, and it leaves the Bulls with only two traditional centers available: two-way player Tobe Awaka and Exhibit 10 signing Orlando Robinson.
That shortage inside makes the lineup picture even more interesting. Small-ball looks seem likely against a team built to play with force, and the Bulls may have to get creative if they want to avoid getting bullied around the rim. Caleb Wilson could get a look there, and so could the nearly seven-foot Noa Essengue.
The Bulls’ available group for this one features Josh Giddey, Norman Powell, Matas Buzelis, Caleb Wilson and Tobe Awaka in the projected starting five, with Ty Jerome, Cedric Coward, Jaylen Wells, Cameron Boozer and Zach Edey on the Memphis side.
The full injury list for Chicago also includes Tre Jones, who is out with a hip issue, and Jaylin Sellers, who is out with back soreness. If the Bulls were searching for a simple preseason measuring stick, this game offers one: can they play cleaner, tougher and a little more under control when the opponent brings real physical resistance?
In Other News...
Bulls Loss Came With 3 Signs Fans Should Be Watching Closely
The Bulls second preseason game offered a familiar kind of October loss, the 104-100 setback to Memphis, but it also gave a useful glimpse at a few players worth tracking once the games start counting. Norman Powell looked like the steady offensive presence the Bulls can lean on, Leonard Miller gave the bench a forward option with real impact, and Caleb Wilson showed enough scoring ability to suggest there is something there even if the early rhythm was uneven.
Powells value stood out in how comfortably he fit into the offense, while Millers minutes pointed to a player who can help stabilize second-unit stretches. Wilsons night was the most eye-catching because it took time to build, but the broader takeaway is the same for all three: preseason performances can be noisy, yet these are the kinds of signs that tend to matter when a roster is trying to sort out who can actually move the needle in the regular season. [Read more 🡒]
Matas Buzelis Exit Brings An Early Bulls Concern Into Focus
Matas Buzelis was forced out of the Bulls preseason game against the Grizzlies after injuring his right ankle, adding an unwelcome twist to a night that had already offered a glimpse of his growing role. He had played 12 minutes and scored 6 points before leaving, leaving Chicago with an early preseason health question involving one of its young pieces.
Buzelis had already briefly gone down earlier after a hard fall while going for a block, then returned before the ankle issue ended his night. For a Bulls team trying to sort out its rotation and keep its promising younger players on the floor, the only real concern now is how serious the injury is and what it means going forward. [Read more 🡒]
Bulls Rookie Dailyn Swain Suddenly Has A Real Chance To Climb
Dailyn Swain made a strong early impression in his first preseason game, helping the Bulls in a 10-point, six-assist outing against the Suns. For a No. 15 pick still trying to carve out his place, it was the kind of showing that can change the tone of a camp quickly, especially for a team still sorting through its backcourt rotation.
Chicagos next look comes against the Grizzlies at the United Center, and Swains opportunity appears to be getting bigger by the day. With Tre Jones dealing with left hip soreness, the rookie has a real opening to handle the ball more often and keep building on what he showed in Phoenix, while the Bulls continue to evaluate how much responsibility he can absorb this early. [Read more 🡒]