Matas Buzelis has never sounded like the type to leave a good jab on the table, and that hasn’t changed now that he’s into his second NBA season. The Bulls forward already has one memorable run-in with Luka Doncic under his belt, and he’s made it clear he’s not done there.
That first exchange came a few months ago, when Buzelis decided to go after the Lakers star. It did not take long for Doncic to take control of the night.
Buzelis had 17 points at halftime, while Doncic had 24. From there, the All-NBA guard exploded for 51 points on 54.8 percent shooting from the field, knocking down nine threes.
Buzelis finished with just 5 more points after halftime.
Afterward, Buzelis was asked what he had learned from the back-and-forth.
"Probably not to talk to him," the second-year player answered.
A few months later, though, Buzelis is changing his tune. On Cousins with Vince Carter & Tracy McGrady, he looked back on the episode and admitted it was a rough night, but not one that scared him off from running his mouth again.
“In the media, I was saying I’m probably not going to trash talk again to him. But I really don’t care.
I’m going to do it again … It was tough. Whenever you talk to him, he starts turning it up for real.
But I said I wasn’t going to do it again, but I’m definitely going to do it again. I was giving the political answer, but I don’t really care.
I need my get-back. I’ll see him this year," Buzelis said.
He also brought up Doncic’s reaction after that game, saying the Lakers star used the box score during his postgame press conference to search for Buzelis’ name, as if he didn’t know who he was. Even with that memory still fresh, Buzelis was quick to show respect for Doncic.
“I have made respect for him. He’s a great player," Buzelis made clear. "But, on the court, I don’t really care who I’m playing against.”
That kind of confidence is part of the package with Buzelis. He’s not interested in shrinking when the matchup gets bigger, and he clearly believes he belongs in the middle of those moments.
Now he gets another shot. The Bulls and Lakers will meet twice in the regular season, with the first one coming at the United Center on January 2, 2027, Chicago’s first game of 2027. The second matchup is scheduled for February 16, 2027.
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