Takeaways & Player Grades: Houston Rockets 119, Chicago Bulls 113

If Jim Boylen was still in town, he would have certainly praised the Chicago Bulls "spirit" tonight!

The team gave the Houston Rockets almost everything they could handle for three quarters, as they refused to go away in one of the NBA's most competitive games this season. Nonetheless, the more experienced team pulled off the 119-113 victory and snapped their concerning three-game skid.

3 Takeaways

A Really Good First Half

This was a true heavyweight fight.

Despite the Houston Rockets coming in with a clear size and physicality advantage, the banged-up Bulls rose to the occasion. They started things off by giving big man Alperen Sengun some serious trouble. One of Houston's main offensive hubs, he missed his first three shots of the night and finished the first quarter shooting just 2-6 from the field. Nikola Vucevic even swatted one of his shot attempts into the backcourt like he was defending his toddler in the driveway.

To be sure, Sengun would eventually figure it out, but the slow start allowed Chicago to build momentum. The same can be said about their quick decision-making offensively. Tre Jones was carving up the Rockets' defense from the jump, draining pull-up threes and perfectly feeding cutters. Jalen Smith, in particular, brought some great off-ball movement to the floor.

Jones ended up finishing the first half with 13 points and 7 assists on 5-6 shooting from the field. Smith added 12 points and 4 rebounds on 5-11 shooting in his fourth start of the season. With Coby White and Josh Giddey still sidelined, the offensive production from these two was much-needed and helped give Chicago a slim 60-57 lead at half.

For what it's worth, the Rockets still put together a strong opening half of their own. They shot 52.4 percent against the Bulls' defense and forced their way to the charity stripe for a 10-13 showing. However, Chicago surprisingly kept them from gobbling up offensive rebounds (their greatest strength) and took advantage of their turnovers.

Wait, How Many Lead Changes?

Coming out of the locker room, nothing changed.

The Chicago Bulls looked as locked in on both ends as we have seen them in weeks. Does that mean it was the prettiest basketball? Not at all, but they were hustling up and down the floor, fighting on the glass, and working hard to even the playing field from the charity stripe.

They deserve a lot of credit for their relentless energy, but so do the Rockets. This group continued to execute a high level offensively, forcing their way into the paint for some high-percentage looks. They ended up shooting 58.0 percent in the third quarter and dropped 33 points. Chicago only shot 36.0 percent from the field in that frame but still traded the lead back and forth thanks to free throw line trips and extra possessions.

When the fourth quarter came around, it was clear we were in for a tight finish. The Bulls were up 102-101 when the clock ticked under the 5-minute mark, giving the Bulls their 23rd clutch game of the season. Billy Donovan's crew came into the evening 13-9 in such contests. Meanwhile, the Rockets entered just 7-12 in their 19 clutch outings.

Nevertheless, as we have seen countless times this season, the team with the superstar came through. A Kevin Durant dunk jumpstarted a 16-9 run in the final 3:24 to give the Rockets a 119-113 victory. The veteran stud would also come through with a second dunk during that run at the 39.9-second mark, which felt like it officially put the game away. Houston held a 5-point advantage as Amen Thompson missed a running mid-range jumper. Chicago failed to corral the rebound, leading Durant to scoop it up and fly along the baseline for the jam. Despite doing a great job limiting second-chance points all night long, the Bulls failed to do so when it mattered most.

By the time both teams walked off the floor, there were a total of 35 lead changes. Not only does this represent the most in any game this season, but it's the most the Chicago Bulls franchise has seen in 30 years, per the broadcast.

Doing the Little Things

Seriously, I give the Chicago Bulls a tremendous amount of credit for their fight in this one. Down both of their leading scorers and missing their most physical big man, they made this one of the NBA's most competitive games of the season. And they did it by doing the dirty work!

As referenced above, the Rockets were shooting pretty darn well all night long and finished with a 51.1 percent clip. Conversely, the Bulls shot only 43.6 percent. They also had an uncharacteristic 24 assists and lost the fastbreak points battle. So, again, the fact that this one was as close as it was really speaks to the effort they put in on the glass and controlling the basketball.

Houston came into the game as the NBA's leader in OREB% and second-chance points per game. Yet, Chicago out-rebounded them on the offensive end 14-12 and turned that into a 17-15 advantage in second-chance points. They also finished the night with only 9 turnovers, marking only the fourth time this season they avoided cracking double digits. Even better, they made the most of the Rockets' 7 cough-ups, edging them out in the points off turnovers battle 13-8.

I know they still lost and the late-game execution could have been better, but they also came into this game extremely out-matched from a talent perspective. The fact that they were as fiesty as they were and kept it this close deserves a tip of the cap.

Chicago Bulls Player Grades

Matas Buzelis of the Chicago Bulls — Jan 13, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets guard JD Davison (4) defends against a shot by Chicago Bulls forward Matas Buzelis (14) during the second quarter at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Tre Jones – A
Stats: 34 PTS, 7 AST, 2 REB

Tre Jones must have seen the article where I wrote that it would be ok to trade him and said ... "Bet."

The guard was absolutely fantastic from start to finish, dropping a new career-high on a nearly-perfect 11-12 shooting from the field. Houston simply couldn't stay in front of him, and his five made triples were a new career-best. Just a truly awesome night for him.

Jalen Smith – B+
Stats: 14 PTS, 9 REB, 1 AST

Jalen Smith's best work came in his first half, but he felt like a driving force behind this group's high-energy and aggressive play. Whether it be snatching a few offensive rebounds, cutting hard to the rim for some strong finishes, or embracing the physicality to force a whistle, Smith helped keep this team in it.

Matas Buzelis – B
Stats: 19 PTS, 6 REB, 2 AST

Matas Buzelis had some strong offensive possessions in this game but struggled to make the same impact defensively. Nevertheless, his career-long streak of games with 15+ stays alive and moves to seven! Elton Brand, Luol Deng, and Lauri Markkanen are the only Bulls to pull that off while being 21 years old or younger.

Nikola Vucevic – C-
Stats: 14 PTS, 7 REB, 5 AST, 2 BLK

Nikola Vucevic started pretty well, but he struggled to keep Alperen Sengun in check as the night went on. The big man finished with 23 points on 10-18 shooting for the Rockets. Meanwhile, Vucevic went just 7-19 from the field, which included a 6-14 showing from inside the paint. He missed some easy bunnies and let his emotions get the best of him at times.

Patrick Williams – D
Stats: 0 PTS, 2 AST, 1 REB

In a game where the Bulls really could have used his defensive versatility and strength, Williams played 18 minutes and had little to show for it. He also shot 0-5 from downtown for his fifth game with a goose egg this season.