A Clutch Matas Buzelis Helps Bulls Spoil Kevin Durant's Big Night in 132-124 Win

Despite Kevin Durant dropping 40 points on 15-23 shooting, the Chicago Bulls finished with seven players in double figures and pulled off the 132-124 upset. Just like we all expected!

3 Takeaways

Best First Quarter of the Season

I'm surprised head coach Ime Udoka didn't walk off the court in disgust. Known for his hard-nosed coaching and stiff defensive mentality, it came as no surprise that Houston entered the night as the NBA's seventh-best defensive team. They have held opponents to just 109.9 points a night – fourth-fewest – and have done a specifically good job walling off the paint. It's why this game felt like a painfully obvious uphill battle for a Bulls team that has ranked 29th in offensive rating since the trade deadline.

Nevertheless, I guess a full three-day break can work some miracles! The Bulls walked out already warmed up. Three of their first four made buckets came from behind the arc before Matas Buzelis hooked Nick Richards up with an alley-oop slam. It was a somewhat surprising early approach considering the Bulls opted for a double-big lineup to start, but perhaps that's why it worked.

If Houston looked punched in the mouth over the first few minutes, they were essentially keeling over by the 7-minute mark. Collin Sexton checked in off the bench and continued his stellar scoring run as a Bull. The guard scored 9 points in roughly a minute and a half of action. His spark helped pace the Bulls toward a 41-point opening frame, which marked a new season-high. Sexton also finished the quarter with 17 points on 5-7 shooting in 8 minutes of action – aka the highest scoring quarter of his career.

The Rockets scored a mere 21 points in the quarter and shot 40.0 percent from the field. While the Bulls would have loved to take credit for putting on a defensive clinic, Houston made it easy with an ice-cold display from outside. They started the night 0-14 from three, which included nine misses in the first quarter.

Kevin Durant Turns the Tide

Passing Michael Jordan on the all-time scoring list this weekend, it only felt right that Kevin Durant took things personally inside the United Center. The superstar forward wasn't going to let his Rockets team roll over with so much on the line. While they came into the night in control of the West's No. 4 spot, the Denver Nuggets and Minnesota Timberwolves remain right on their tails. In other words, they needed this seemingly easy win over a tanking team.

Durant came out of the third quarter on a clear mission. Not only would he drop a quick 12 points on a flurry of signature mid-range buckets, but he would also assist on 8 more points. Durant played the entirety of the quarter and helped the Rockets chip away at what was once a 21-point lead for the Bulls.

Alperen Sengun was also a key part of the turnaround and a beneficiary of Durant's playmaking. He was a perfect 6-6 in the quarter and matched his superstar teammate with 12 points and 6 of his own dimes. He was actually the one to score or assist on three of the Rockets' last four buckets in the quarter, which officially cut the Bulls' lead to 95-87. This marked Houston's first time within single digits since the score was 15-6 in the first few minutes of action.

All things considered, this was lining up to be an absolutely *chef's kiss* tank loss for the Bulls. Have your youngsters (plus Collin Sexton) build up a big lead and show some more flashes, only to erase any chance of actually damaging your draft stock. What more could one ask for?

Well, there is one thing ...

The Future Comes Through Clutch

Two things can be true:

1) Winning is counterintuitive for the Bulls, and this random victory over a playoff team could come back to bite them in the you know what.

2) If you're going to win random games over playoff teams and risk hurting your lottery odds, this is the way to do it.

Yes, Collin Sexton got the Bulls their giant lead, but it was the young potential building blocks that made sure they pulled out the win. Durant and Sengun were at the peak of their powers and completely erased Chicago's lead in the fourth quarter. Adversity had struck, and Billy Donovan was now faced with an obvious learning opportunity for his youngsters.

Matas Buzelis, Josh Giddey, and even Leonard Miller answered the call. Suddenly down 112-108 with 4:28 to go? Giddey hooked up Jones with a layup before he nailed an and-one for the lead. Alperen Sengun ties things up with a poster dunk on Miller? The former Timberwolves forward comes straight down the floor, breaks Sengun's ankles, and finishes his own highlight dunk. Knotted up again after a pair of Amen Thompson freebies? Giddey nails another triple before getting into the teeth of the defense and perfectly kicking out to Jalen Smith for another three, two possessions later.

If there was any sequence to celebrate, however, it came courtesy of Buzelis. Easily the team's most important long-term piece, Buzelis drilled a clutch pull-up three in transition with 1:00 left on the clock. Then, a couple of possessions later, he stood at the top of the key with Reed Sheppard locked in front of him. Noticing the mismatch, Buzelis didn't hesitate to take the guard off the bounce and finished the dagger with 10 seconds to go.

MATAS WITH THE DAGGER DRIVE.@BuzelisMatas | @CHSN__ pic.twitter.com/9TJTijEqQP
— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) March 24, 2026

A lot of fans aren't going to be too thrilled with this win, and I can completely understand that. I'm also all for calling out this organization for its lack of direction. At the same time, if our sights are set on the future, these are also the kind of moments that could really matter.

Chicago Bulls Player Grades

Leonard Miller of the Chicago Bulls — Mar 18, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bulls forward Leonard Miller (11) scores against the Toronto Raptors during the second half at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

Leonard Miller – A
Stats: 17 PTS, 9 REB, 3 AST

Make it seven straight games for Leonard Miller in double digits. The forward was incredibly effective on both sides of the ball, and he continues to look like someone worth investing in. Arguably, the best thing about his recent contribution is the way in which he has fit alongside Matas Buzelis. He doesn't need the ball in his hands to be effective at all. He's simply finding the bottom of the night by being opportunistic.

Also, responding to getting posterized instantly with your own nasty dunk says A LOT about someone ...

Leonard Miller shakes Alperen Sengun out of his shoes pic.twitter.com/bz5ylKkpTk
— Ricky O'Donnell (@SBN_Ricky) March 24, 2026

Matas Buzelis – B+
Stats: 23 PTS, 4 REB, 1 AST

Matas Buzelis didn't necessarily start the night strong, and Kevin Durant undoubtedly gave him the business. But he stepped up when it mattered most, and that feels like another important step in his development.

Jalen Smith – B
Stats: 15 PTS, 6 REB, 2 AST, 2 BLK

Jalen Smith had a pretty well-rounded game and helped this Bulls rotation matchup well with the lengthy Rockets. He also hit one of the biggest threes of the night to help Chicago pull off the upset.

Josh Giddey – B-
Stats: 15 PTS, 13 AST, 7 REB, 2 STL

Similar to Matas Buzelis, Josh Giddey struggled to score efficiently at times tonight, but he stepped up when things got tight. His efficient facilitating also played a part in building the Bulls' early lead.

Collin Sexton – C+
Stats: 25 PTS, 4 REB, 2 AST, 3 STL

Collin Sexton may have built up the Bulls' lead, but he only managed to score 5 points in the second half with a 0-4 shooting effort.

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