Bulls Player Grades: Norman Powell Dominates Hawks, Josh Giddey Triple-Double, More

REJOICE CHICAGO, THE BULLS HAVE WON A BASKETBALL GAME!

After dropping eight straight games and starting the year an ugly 1-9, the Chicago Bulls were able to give their home fans an NBA Cup victory on Friday night. The Atlanta Hawks didn't make it easy, but this young Bulls roster showed real growth with their ability to stay engaged for a full 48 minutes + OT.

All things considered, it's a big confidence boost for a team that just lost its key building block for the foreseeable future. The win also felt needed when looking at the calendar, which is about to round out the gauntlet start to the year with trips to Minnesota and Cleveland.

Let's take a closer look at who stood out most in the Bulls 125-117 win over Atlanta.

Chicago Bulls Player Grades vs. Hawks

Nov 13, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bulls forward Matas Buzelis (14) signals after he scored a basket during overtime against the Atlanta Hawks at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Isaac Okoro – A
Stats: 15 PTS (5-10 FG), 3 REB, 2 AST, 1 STL, 1 BLK

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Thrown into the starting lineup for Norman Powell three games back, Tiago Splitter chose to keep the swingman as a starter with Caleb Wilson now sidelined. And it immediately proved to be the right call. Okoro has changed the entire dynamic of the Bulls' opening unit. Not only has he provided an obvious spark on the defensive end, but he has been a borderline revelation offensively.

The box score may not show it, but Okoro's quick decision-making and constant cutting have helped this Bulls team channel the ball movement they are looking for under Splitter. He was in the right place at the right time all night long, including in OT, when he had a massive baseline cut for a reverse finish that put the Bulls up by two possessions with 1:56 to go.

Okoro also finished the night with a game-high 41 minutes played. Splitter knew that they needed him on the floor to pull out the win.

Norman Powell – A-
Stats: 33 PTS (12-19 FG), 5 REB, 2 AST, 1 STL

I'll admit that it may be wrong not to give Norman Powell the highest grade of the day. However, isn't it fair to hold him to the highest standard?

There is no denying the guard had a fantastic night. He hit major shot after major shot, taking full control of the game in OT. He scored 9 of the team's 15 points in extra time, repeatedly breaking this solid Hawks defense down off the dribble.

Norman Powell with the clutch OT and-1!@CHSN__ | @npowell2404 pic.twitter.com/OOw1npaoAM
— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) November 14, 2026

What made it all the more impressive is that he nearly cost the Bulls the game at the end of the fourth quarter. While it makes sense to put the ball in his hands down the stretch, he came up short on three straight possessions and settled for a couple of ugly contested shots. The ball movement was working really well for the Bulls all night, and you would have at least liked for Powell to channel that once in those late fourth-quarter minutes.

At the same time, you have to tip your cap to him for sticking with it and not allowing those misses to rattle him. It's a great lesson for the young players on this roster.

Josh Giddey – B+
Stats: 15 PTS (5-10 FG), 14 AST, 10 REB

Slowly but surely, Josh Giddey is looking more like his 2025-26 self. He did a very solid job helping the Bulls get off to another strong start by ensuring that the offense was created from the inside out. The jumbo guard also gets a lot of credit for his activity on the glass. The Hawks have been very solid on the offensive boards all season long, but Giddey made a difference by flying in for a few aggressive rebounds.

This was his first triple-double of the season after he finished with 13 last season.

Patrick Williams – B
Stats: 13 PTS, 4 REB, 2 AST, 2 STL

A door has opened for Patrick Williams with Caleb Wilson sidelined for at least a month, and he looks ready to capitalize tonight. After sitting out the first couple of weeks, Williams continues to appear shockingly comfortable alongside his new teammates. Is he completely turning the tide when he checks into the game? No, but Williams has consistently made a balanced impact on both sides of the ball.

It's also easy to forget that Williams has been a well above-average three-point shooter since entering the league. He knocked down four of his six attempts in this game, which included one at the 3:43 mark of the fourth that gave Chicago a 106-103 lead.

Matas Buzelis – C+
Stats: 11 PTS, 6 REB, 2 AST, 3 BLK

I think this was a better Matas Buzelis game than the box score suggests. Yes, he was an underwhelming 3-8 from the field, but he repeatedly found a way to make an impact despite his shots not falling. As we mentioned with Giddey, the aggressive rebounding was very important in a game like this, and Buzelis went up strong for a handful. The Bulls also held the Hawks to just 25-42 in the restricted area, and his defense played a part in that.

Would it have been nice to see him take more initiative offensively? Perhaps, but the Bulls were in control for much of the game without him having to do that. And, hey, he hit arguably the biggest shot of the night! With 24.0 seconds to go and the Bulls only up three, Buzelis drilled his third triple.

Jalen Smith – C
Stats: 15 PTS (6-15 FG), 12 REB, 3 STL

The bar has been raised for Jalen Smith. So while he put together a nice double-double stat line, this wasn't the big man's best effort of the season. He was just 5-8 at the rim and 1-6 from downtown. The floor spacing that has been so effective just wasn't on point this evening. Don't get me wrong, he still played a key role in the Bulls winning this game, but Smith has been so good that this game felt a little clumsy.

By the way, Smith exited the game after a nasty fall to start OT. He was grabbing at the same hand where he's been dealing with some hurt fingers. In the locker room after the game, Smith clarified that he bent those fingers back and re-aggravated the injury. The good news is that he was still all smiles and said he still hopes to play on Saturday night.

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