3 Keys: Can the Chicago Bulls Avoid Being the Houston Rockets' Get-Right Game?

The Chicago Bulls are hoping their momentum from Saturday's win at the United Center boarded the plane to Houston.

One of the Western Conference's top contenders, the Rockets will welcome the Bulls into their building in desperate need of a win. They have shockingly dropped four of their last five games, which have included two losses to the Trail Blazers and one to the Kings. With that in mind, while a meeting with the banged-up Bulls feels like the perfect get-right game, there may be no better time to catch Ime Udoka's squad this season.

Let's talk about three things Chicago needs to do to pull off an unexpected victory.

Do What You Do Best

Tre Jones of the Chicago Bulls — Jan 10, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Tre Jones (30) brings the ball up court against the Dallas Mavericks during the first half at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

While the Houston Rockets currently have a Top 4 offensive rating in the NBA, they have struggled immensely over the last few weeks. The team has failed to score more than 105 points in five consecutive games, which has included scoring fewer than 100 points in two of those outings.

To little surprise, their effective field goal percentage over this span has been dead-last. Kevin Durant has continued to ball out and drop 30+ points a night, but only two other players on the team have managed to average more than 13.0 points (Tari Eason & Amen Thompson). Would most expect them to figure things out on this end? Sure, but it's not as if there weren't warning signs of a potentially significant offensive drop-off all season.

With Fred VanVleet going down this summer, the Rockets have been playing with an extremely limited backcourt. They have actually ranked near the bottom of the NBA in assist percentage all season long (currently 29th), and their overall offensive strategy has been extremely one-dimensional. They run the second-most isolation possessions in the NBA and sit in the bottom seven in passes made per game.

In other words, if the Chicago Bulls can do what they do best tonight and fill up the score column, the Houston Rockets could have some serious trouble keeping up. To be clear, doing this against the Rockets' jumbo lineup could be difficult, as their defense has ranked Top 10 for most of the season, as well. But this is another area where they have seen a dip over the last month.

Houston has ranked 18th in defensive rating over the last 15 games. Opponents have shot a little over 47.0 percent from the field and nearly 38.0 percent from downtown. Can the Bulls take advantage?

Turnover Troubles

Alperen Sengun of the Houston Rockets — Dec 1, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Luguentz Dort (5) steals the ball away from Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun (28) during the third quarter at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Speaking of Houston's bumpy offense, turnovers have been a major problem.

Again, their lack of reliable ball-handling has put them on a search for answers. While Reed Sheppard and Aaron Holiday have clocked their fair share of minutes, neither has been tasked with the true facilitating duties. Instead, Alperen Sengun, Amen Thompson, and Kevin Durant have attempted to fill the void, and it's come with varying success. The three combine for nearly 9.0 turnovers each night.

Houston currently ranks 28th in turnover percentage, committing nearly 16.0 turnovers per game. Now, they have several athletic wings that can hustle back in transition and limit some of the damage, but it's still an area that can be exploited. Might this be difficult to do for a Bulls team that has little to offer defensively? Absolutely. But whether it's Isaac Okoro, Ayo Dosunmu, or Tre Jones, there are a few guys on this team who can pressure the basketball and help turn defense into offense.

The other good news for Chicago is that they do a decent job of limiting its own hiccups. Their TOV% ranks in the top half of the NBA despite their ball movement. So as long as they can make the most of the extra possessions Houston inevitably gives them, they could hang around in this one longer than anyone expects.

Houston ... We Have a Rebounding Problem

Steven Adams of the Houston Rockets — Jan 9, 2026; Portland, Oregon, USA; Houston Rockets center Steven Adams (12) grabs a rebound during the first half against Portland Trail Blazers guard Rayan Rupert (21) at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images | Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

I feel like I have brought this up a lot lately, but I have to do it again.

The Houston Rockets are one of the best offensive rebounding teams we have seen in years. A major reason why they sit near the top of the NBA in offensive rating, despite their one-dimensional attack, is their ability to create second-chance points. Their OREB percentage sits at 41.3, whereas the NBA's second-highest mark rests at 36.6 (Detroit). You have to go back to December 21 to find the last time they failed to record more OREBs than their opponent.

They score 18.7 second-chance points a night, which is obviously No. 1 in the NBA. As for the Chicago Bulls, they average only 13.7 points per game and have been even worse with several of their top rebounders banged up. We can talk about the Rockets' recent struggles and long-standing injury trouble all we want, but their ability to dominate the glass can single-handedly win them this game.

So, why are the Rockets so superior in this department? Amen Thompson is an athletic freak, Alperen Sengun is a physical five, Jabari Smith Jr. is an overpowering wing, and Steven Adams is among the strongest players in the NBA. Overall, Houston runs one of the longest rotations in the NBA, and they know how to use it.