The Bulls had the kind of first half that makes you lean forward in your seat, then the kind of second half that leaves you staring at the box score in disbelief.
Chicago opened against San Antonio with pace, movement and a hot hand that even the Spurs’ fourth-ranked defense couldn’t cool off. Then the game flipped. The Bulls lost control after halftime, dropped a 124-119 decision, and also watched Caleb Wilson leave with a right-hand injury in the fourth quarter.
Victor Wembanyama was every bit the problem Tiago Splitter warned about before tipoff. The Bulls coach called him a player who can reshape the league, saying, “I think he’s honestly one of those players that will change the game," Bulls head coach Tiago Splitter said about the Bulls' Wednesday night foe. "There is no comp to anybody … he is changing the league, and he was close to winning a championship last year, he is going to be one of the greatest to play the game.”
Wembanyama backed that up with 32 points on 13-18 shooting, including a huge fourth quarter as San Antonio pulled away.
For a while, though, it looked like Chicago might have the Spurs on the ropes. The Bulls started by drilling back-to-back threes and never seemed intimidated by the size waiting in the lane.
Instead of settling, they kept cutting, kept moving and kept making quick decisions. That approach produced a stunning opening quarter: 41 points, 17-20 shooting, and an 11-12 mark inside the paint against one of the league’s most imposing rim protectors.
San Antonio, meanwhile, looked out of sync early. The Spurs managed just 10-23 shooting in the first quarter and got only 6 points from Wembanyama as Chicago built momentum and then stretched the lead to 70-56 by halftime.
But the third quarter belonged to the Spurs, and the Bulls had no answer once the game turned physical and messy. Chicago committed eight turnovers in the period and gave up several offensive rebounds, losing the points off turnovers and second-chance points battle 21-0 in that quarter. San Antonio matched Chicago’s shot total in the quarter with 14 made field goals, erased the deficit and took a 90-89 lead into the fourth.
That’s where the game got away for good. The Spurs rode Wembanyama to as much as a 15-point cushion, and by the time the Bulls cleared the bench, the outcome was basically settled. Noa Essengue’s late minutes trimmed the final margin a bit, but the real damage had already been done.
Josh Giddey and Matas Buzelis were at the center of Chicago’s second-half unraveling. Both ran into trouble against San Antonio’s ball pressure, and Buzelis in particular struggled to protect the ball, coughing it up five times in his final 13 minutes and 30 seconds. Afterward, he pointed the finger at himself.
Matas Buzelis was noticeably frustrated after the Bulls dropped to 1-9. Pointed a finger at himself and said he has to be more aggressive, specifically coming out of halftime. Bulls were in full control in the first half but just couldn’t sustain the energy. pic.twitter.com/n9TkAHRnpS
Wilson’s exit added another hit to an already painful night. The No. 4 overall pick went down while defending Wembanyama early in the fourth quarter, appearing to swipe at the ball before the Bulls ruled him out with a right-hand injury. He had already been listed as questionable because of hip tightness, went through warm-ups, and was eventually cleared to play before tipoff.
Before leaving, Wilson had given Chicago a strong 15-point, 5-rebound, 1-steal effort in about 15 minutes. He shot 5-7 from the field and hit both of his three-point attempts, including one answer to a Wembanyama three during the Bulls’ explosive first half.
Splitter didn’t have much of an update afterward, saying the team will know more tomorrow. For a Bulls group that is now 1-9, the hope has to be that Wilson’s setback is minor. Chicago already has enough problems without losing its most productive player for long, especially with Friday’s game against the Hawks next on the schedule.
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Bulls Suddenly Face A Caleb Wilson Concern They Couldnt Afford
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Wilson had already been on the injury report before tipoff because of right hip soreness, so the hand problem only added to the uncertainty around his status. For Chicago, the bigger worry now is not just how long he might be sidelined, but how quickly the Bulls can absorb another hit if one of their most important offensive pieces is compromised. [Read more 🡒]