3 Takeaways & Player Grades: Buzelis Drops 41 to Lift Bulls Over Warriors, 130-124

Back and forth we go!

After following up their impressive win over the Phoenix Suns with a loss to the NBA-worst Sacramento Kings, the Chicago Bulls snag their first OT win of the season over the Warriors. They used a dominant Matas Buzelis performance and some expert playmaking from Josh Giddey to secure the 130-124 win.

I know victories may feel counterintuitive this time of year, but you can take some solace tonight in knowing it could help the Portland Trail Blazers climb the standings. A second first-rounder in this deep 2026 class to pair with Giddey and Matas? Yes, please!

3 Takeaways

A Surprising Starting Five

Isaac Okoro was suddenly ruled out in the lead-up to tip-off. The forward was apparently suffering from knee soreness, resulting in the late and precautionary scratch. A mainstay in the starting lineup, this meant Billy Donovan would have to shake things up. And shake things up he did!

The head coach chose to go with a shockingly big lineup of Josh Giddey, Matas Buzelis, Leonard Miller, Jalen Smith, and Guerschon Yabusele. It marked Miller's first start of his Bulls career and came only a few nights after he registered a DNP-CD.

To be sure, the lineup may not have gotten off to the hottest start, but the group's length and sheer energy level set a promising tone against a Warriors team with tired legs. Donovan must have taken notice because he doubled down on his youngsters as the night went on. Not only did he opt for a lineup of Dillingham, Giddey, Jones, Buzelis, and Miller in the second half, but he even yanked Yabusele and Nick Richards in crunch time.

Indeed, the Bulls chose to close out regulation with Giddey, Jones, Buzelis, Miller, and Smith. Did Draymond Green bail out this group by fouling Smith with one second left for the game-tying free throws? Sure, but they still made the plays necessary to put the Bulls in a position to force OT and eventually win.

Speaking of which, these are the kind of wins you can live with, even if they technically do not help in the lottery odds department. The Bulls pulled this one out thanks to their young contributors. Perhaps that is something Donovan will keep in mind as his veterans regain health. His hands may have been forced with such a long injury report, but it paid off and netted these guys some important developmental minutes in the process.

Rebounding Dominance

The ball movement and consistent paint pressure undoubtedly stood out, but we can not ignore the rebounding discrepancy. The Bulls won this area of the box score a staggering 71-58. This included snagging 20 offensive rebounds to win the second-chance points battle a rare 20-16.

For those keeping track at home, yes, this is a season-high in both total rebounds AND offensive rebounds. In fact, according to Bulls PR, the last time the Bulls snagged 20 OREBs in a game was in February of 2024.

Everyone did their part on the glass, so much so that four different players finished with double-digit rebounds. This included the third-year Miller, whose 17 points and 11 rebounds marked the first double-double of his young career. Six of his boards also came on the offensive glass.

Career-Highs Galore

Several Chicago Bulls made the most of this meeting with the banged-up Golden State Warriors. Not only did Leonard Miller notch his first double-double, but both his points and rebounds served as new career-highs. The same goes for his 37 minutes of action. He had never clocked more than 28 minutes in a game coming into the evening.

Meanwhile, Josh Giddey recorded arguably his most masterful triple-double of the season. The guard finished the evening with 21 points, a career-high 17 assists, and 13 rebounds. The Bulls weren't building their momentum without Giddey's expert playmaking. He already had double-digit dimes heading into the locker room and assisted on 15 of the Bulls' 31 points in a second quarter they won by 10.

Nonetheless, the award for best career-high of the night goes to Matas Buzelis! The second-year forward looked the part of a future building block with 41 points on 16-28 shooting from the field. It didn't take long after the ball was tipped to think that he could be in for a special night.

As aggressively as he was attacking the basket, he was also moving tremendously off the ball and not hesitating to let it fly from behind the arc. He came out of halftime and scored 7 more points in less than 3 minutes of action. By the time the buzzer sounded, he was also a wildly impressive 11-12 from inside the paint.

Most importantly, though, Buzelis stepped up most when the game was hanging in the balance. He scored 12 points in the fourth quarter and OT combined, sinking some big free throws and nailing some even bigger triples. Seeing him have so much confidence in such a high-stakes moment is what it's all about for the Bulls.

The performance also put Buzelis in some very rare Bulls air. He is now one of only three players who have scored 40+ points at age 21 or younger, joining Elton Brand and Michael Jordan. How can you not be optimistic about that?

Chicago Bulls Player Grades

Matas Buzelis – A+
Stats: 41 PTS, 6 REB, 2 STL, 2 BLK

Do the Bulls have a star in the making?

Josh Giddey – A-
Stats: 21 PTS, 17 AST, 13 REB

Josh Giddey was a +14 tonight, and rightfully so. He picked apart this sluggish Warriors defense and also continued his strong season from downtown by splashing four threes. Sometimes, it's shocking to look up and see just how many dimes Giddey has put on the board, but I think that underscores his unselfishness. He's so surgical and quick that you don't quite realize how impactful he can be on any given night.

Leonard Miller – B+
Stats: 17 PTS, 11 REB, 1 BLK

Leonard Miller looks the part. He is an opportunistic player who finds his points in the flow of the offense. Plus, he can be a legitimately impactful defender. There is absolutely no reason another DNP should be in his future.

Tre Jones – B
Stats: 22 PTS, 5 AST, 4 REB

It was another mature night for Tre Jones, who essentially forced Billy Donovan to play him more and more as the game went along. He shot 10-18 from the field and had a surprisingly efficient night from the mid-range.

Jalen Smith – C
Stats: 6 PTS, 12 REB, 3 AST

Jalen Smith has been struggling to look like himself offensively in recent weeks, but he can likely chalk that up to the lingering calf issues. Nonetheless, you have to commend him for his constant hustle and commitment to cleaning the glass.

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