The Chicago Bulls left Philadelphia with a 126-107 loss, but the score only tells part of the story. For long stretches, this young group hung around with a more experienced superteam and stayed within reach through about three quarters before the game slipped away.
There were still some encouraging signs for a team that is more focused on building an identity than chasing the win-loss column right now. Caleb Wilson was the headliner again, Josh Giddey gave Chicago a strong opening push, and a few other Bulls showed enough to keep their roles intact. But there were also some rough edges, especially from one of the team’s young pieces.
Wilson was easily one of the brightest spots. He finished with 24 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists and 4 steals, and he did it efficiently, going 9-17 from the field and 4-9 from three.
He has now knocked down 10 threes over his last two games, and he also continued to flash as a passer with a couple of sharp live-dribble deliveries. If the Bulls are thinking about what a true No. 1 option looks like down the road, Wilson is already showing pieces of that profile just six games into his career.
Giddey helped set the tone early. He had 5 of his 10 assists in the first quarter alone and looked more comfortable operating in Tiago Splitter’s system.
His pressure in the paint stood out too, as he kept putting his head down and trying to create from the middle of the floor. The scoring still isn’t quite where it needs to be, but the overall feel is trending in the right direction, and that matters in the early stages of this season.
Chicago’s frontcourt had a tougher night. Jalen Smith didn’t do enough to slow down Philadelphia, even if the 76ers didn’t exactly dominate at the rim.
They still shot 52.7 percent from the field and got to the line 27 times, making 19. With a Nic Claxton return looming, Splitter’s center rotation is about to get interesting.
Smith, despite the 1-6 start, has still shown enough to keep a meaningful role.
Norman Powell was second on the team in scoring, but this wasn’t one of his better nights. He went 5-13 from the field and 1-4 from beyond the arc.
He did get to the free throw line for double-digit attempts, yet the Bulls were clearly expecting more from him. The shot selection wasn’t clean, and he never quite settled into the kind of stabilizing presence Chicago needed.
Noa Essengue stayed in the rotation and brought effort, which Splitter likely appreciated. He helped on the glass in 14 minutes, but he also picked up five fouls and shot 3-7 from the field while still searching for his offensive rhythm.
Isaac Okoro, meanwhile, is still trying to justify his place as a regular part of the rotation. He finished at minus-2, and while he has been viewed as the team’s best perimeter defender, that impact hasn’t shown up yet this season.
The roughest night belonged to Matas Buzelis. He looked uncomfortable in the new system and had one of his worst games of the season against a strong wing group, finishing with five turnovers and four fouls, three of them coming early.
Afterward, Buzelis said he just “didn’t bring it” and said he needs to get into a flow. Asked what he’s done before to get it back, he said, “If you guys can recall, every one of my beginning of my seasons, first and second, they were tough.
It was difficult. New guys coming…”
Splitter’s message after the game was direct: Buzelis has to stop playing in a crowd. The third-year forward needs to choose his spots better and find more of his offense within the flow of the game. In this one, he had the same number of shot attempts as turnovers, and that said plenty about how the night went.
In Other News...
Bulls Had No Answer For A 76ers Team Looking Unstoppable
The Bulls ran into a Philadelphia team that has quickly started to look like one of the leagues early problems, with the 76ers winning again to stretch their streak to four and move to 7-1 on the season. Chicago could not keep pace with the way Philadelphia moved the ball and kept pressure on the defense, as Tyrese Maxey and Jaylen Brown set the tone and Joel Embiid, LeBron James and V.J. Edgecombe all chipped in to keep the offense humming.
For the Bulls, the frustration was less about one hot hand than the overall rhythm Philadelphia found and sustained. The 76ers were getting quality looks, sharing the ball and forcing Chicago to chase for long stretches, which is exactly the kind of night that can make a good defensive plan look thin. If this is the version of Philadelphia the Bulls are going to see again, they will need a much cleaner answer than the one they came up with here. [Read more 🡒]
Caleb Wilson Is Giving Bulls Fans A Reason To Believe Again
Even in a loss to the 76ers, Caleb Wilson kept giving the Bulls something to hang onto. The rookie put up 24 points and seven rebounds, another steady night in a start that has quickly turned him into one of the most watchable young players in Chicago.
Wilsons early production has already put him in rare company, and the numbers are starting to pile up fast. He is averaging 21.6 points and 6.7 rebounds per game, a pace that has Bulls fans looking past the disappointment of one loss and toward what this stretch might mean if he keeps it up. [Read more 🡒]
Bulls Visit To New York Suddenly Centers On Nic Claxton
The Bulls trip to New York on Wednesday has taken on a different feel because of the injury report, with Nic Claxton suddenly in the mix for the Knicks after being listed as questionable with a left hamstring strain. Claxton has yet to appear in a game this season or in the preseason, so his status matters not just for New Yorks frontcourt plans but for the way Chicago has to prepare on the road.
Jalen Smith has been handling the center duties in Claxtons absence and is listed as probable despite a left finger sprain. If Claxton is able to go, it would change the look of the matchup quickly, but for now the Bulls are left waiting on a decision that could shape how the game is played inside. [Read more 🡒]