3 Takeaways & Player Grades: Collin Sexton Drops 30, Helps Bulls Stun Suns (105-103)

We have ourselves a classic trap game.

With the Bulls missing ... *deep breath* ... Josh Giddey, Matas Buzelis, Patrick Williams, Jalen Smith, Anfernee Simons, and Jaden Ivey, the Suns came in a little too relaxed. They settled for far too many long-range jumpers and struggled to make up for the absence of their primary rim protector. Meanwhile, Chicago grabbed the lead from the jump and refused to give it back on their way to the 105-103 upset.

Believe it or not, this now marks Chicago's first win over Phoenix since 2019.

3 Takeaways

Paint Prowess

A few hours before tip-off on Thursday night, the Phoenix Suns shared some surprising news. Seven-foot big man Mark Williams would miss the next several weeks due to a stress fracture in his foot. Appearing in a season-high 56 games this season, the former Hornets first-rounder has been an essential part of the Suns' better-than-expected campaign.

For the undersized and banged-up Bulls, this was undoubtedly some good news. While they were still certainly the underdog, Williams' absence would force the Suns to play small or lean on rookie Khaman Malauch. And the Bulls looked ready to take advantage of that from the moment the ball was tossed in the air.

In recent games, the Bulls would live and die by the three. The majority of their first-quarter shots, in particular, would often come from behind the arc. The Suns were likely ready for a similar approach tonight, but the Bulls threw them for a loop. They were in full attack mode and scored 20 of their first 24 points in the paint. Collin Sexton was a big part of setting that tone, and Rob Dillingham did a good job of feeding off that energy as part of the second unit.

The Suns just repeatedly looked a step slow as the Bulls beat them off the bounce. It made a huge difference early, especially as Chicago started 1-13 from downtown. Still, it felt like only a matter of time before the Suns would adjust and put a little more pressure on Chicago at the point of attack.

Well, that time never came.

The Bulls would end the night with a staggering 68 to 44 advantage in the paint. Sexton and Tre Jones carved up the Suns' defense more and more as the night went along. Likewise, Chicago's defense did a surprisingly decent job at clogging up the lane and limiting the Suns' attempt to establish a presence down low. They even went on to finish 15 forced Suns turnovers and eight steals.

Three Point & Free Throw Struggle

The Suns played a big role in their demise. As the Bulls destroyed them in the paint, the Suns stayed committed to beating them from long range. They entered the night ranking Top 5 in three-point attempts per game, as they field a rotation full of players who can get hot from downtown.

Nonetheless, a cold front moved through the desert. The Suns were never able to find their rhythm, which led to 15 straight misses at one point. While they were able to knock down a few in crunch time to make things interesting, their 13-46 performance overall tells the story. This was just an awful shooting night from a team that is very much used to the opposite.

Speaking of which, their stroke from the charity stripe was just as awful! The team got to the line for 27 attempts but shot only 67.0 percent. When we consider that this ended up a two-point game, their free throw inefficiency looks even worse.

The Bulls weren't better in either department, by the way. They shot just 7-28 from deep and 16-25 from the free throw line. Nick Richards alone went an ugly 5-10. However, they were able to overcome this thanks to the speed and relentless downhill approach discussed above.

It also sure feels worth noting that Devin Booker only finished shooting 9-21 from the field. He may have still tallied 27 points, but he looked out of sorts for the majority of the game. Isaac Okoro was seemingly giving him trouble, and he was one of several Suns to look caught off guard by the Bulls' consistent hustle.

A Bad Win?

The ending of this one was downright dumb. Chicago allowed Phoenix to claw back into it and make it a 104-103 game with 23 seconds to go. After calling a timeout, Isaac Okoro would inbound it to Nick Richards right at the halfcourt line. The big man retrieved the ball but was toying with a potential over-and-back. He proceeded to chuck it back toward Okoro, sending the ball out of bounds and back to the Suns.

With a chance to now take the lead, the Suns repeatedly passed the ball around the horn before Jalen Green made a break for the rim and missed the driving layup. The Suns would proceed to foul Richards, who made the first free throw before missing the second. Fortunately for Chicago, Tre Jones made an extremely high-IQ play by grabbing the offensive rebound and throwing it high into the air before he could stumble out of bounds. The clock expired.

So not only can you call this a lucky win, but you sure can call it a detrimental one. The Bulls have now moved one game out from the Bucks for the 11th seed in the East. In other words, they are now one game out from shrinking their lottery odds. And can you guess who they have up next? That's right, the league-worst Sacramento Kings!

As I always like to remind folks: Players do not care about this. And they shouldn't. This was a good win for the guys in that locker room, especially considering the lengthy injury report and recent losing streak. But the truth is that this organization has made it impossible not to think about the lottery and long-term ramifications. They traded seven players at the deadline. They are currently 12th in the Eastern Conference. The Play-In is not in their future, so doing anything that jeopardizes their lottery positioning is going to feel counterintuitive the rest of the season.

Chicago Bulls Player Grades

Collin Sexton – A
Stats: 30 PTS, 5 AST, 3 REB, 2 STL

The Phoenix Suns didn't have an answer for Collin Sexton tonight. The guard was playing with an unwavering downhill energy, leading to his third straight game with 20+ points. This also marked his first 30-point effort since March of last year, and he did it on a highly efficient 11-19 from the field.

Tre Jones – A-
Stats: 21 PTS, 6 REB, 5 AST, 2 STL

Tre Jones looked better and better as the night went along. He came through huge in the fourth quarter, which included making the high-IQ play to bleed out the final seconds.

Tre Jones secures the W!@Tre3Jones | @CHSN_ pic.twitter.com/zko4R0oqZO
— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) March 6, 2026

Isaac Okoro – B
Stats: 6 PTS, 3 AST, 1 STL

Isaac Okoro did what he does best and locked in on the defensive end. He was a big part of holding Devin Booker to his off shooting night, and the Bulls' defense as a whole was seemingly able to feed off some of his intensity.

Guerschon Yabusele – B-
Stats: 16 PTS, 6 REB, 2 AST

It may not have been a particularly efficient night for Guerschon Yabusele, who sure isn't afraid to chuck up shots, but he was still a +7. The big man is such an unusual player, and you could tell the Suns' lighter frontcourt wasn't quite sure how to handle him. Also, his ability to stretch the floor is legitimately impressive. He is now shooting over 40.0 percent from three since arriving in Chicago, and on legit volume!

Nick Richards – C
Stats: 9 PTS, 11 REB, 2 BLK

Nick Richards' poor free throw shooting was costly, but he still put together a decent effort against the team that traded him a few weeks back. Once again, the Suns weren't able to get much going inside, and he was part of the reason why.

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