Takeaways & Player Grades: Chicago Bulls 134, New Orleans Pelicans 118

Despite missing their top two leading scorers, the Chicago Bulls were able to end 2025 with a decisive victory over the New Orleans Pelicans.

They continued to lean on their unselfish and uptempo offensive identity, dropping their fourth-most points in regulation this season. Unlike in their previous meetings with New Orleans, they were also able to counteract the physicality with a +10 showing in the fastbreak department and a +9 showing in the points off turnovers battle.

Considering the schedule only stiffens up from here, this was a much-needed 134-118 win for a banged-up Bulls team.

3 Takeaways

Going Big to Start

Billy Donovan has often preferred to have multiple ball-handlers on the floor at once, but he went the opposite route with his two top guards out on Wednesday night.

While Tre Jones was plugged in for Josh Giddey, the head coach chose to start the evening with a double-big lineup. Jalen Smith was stationed next to Nikola Vucevic, which moved Matas Buzelis over to the small forward spot and Isaac Okoro to shooting guard. Well, I guess he was onto something!

The Bulls started the night 10-13 from the field and built up a quick double-digit advantage. They had 16 points in the paint in 6 minutes of action, while Smith scored 7 points in his first 6 minutes on the court.

Chicago also had excellent hustle in the open floor, taking full advantage of Pelicans' weak transition defense. They came into the night allowing nearly 17 fastbreak points a night, which is the third-most in the NBA. The Bulls ultimately finished the first quarter with 14 of their 36 points scored in the fastbreak. It tied their third-highest scoring opening frame of the season.

To be sure, the Bulls' questionable defense didn't need long to blow the double-digit advantage. New Orleans picked up two wins over Chicago earlier this season because of their dominance down low. They continued to look like the more physical team and chipped away at the lead with free throw line visits and second-chance points.

When halftime rolled around, it was just a 67-62 game. Still, the Bulls had the lead thanks to their sheer speed. The sequence near the end of the second quarter that saw them go on a 7-0 run in just 43 seconds summed up a lot of this game for the Bulls.

Leaning on Depth

With two starters and a key reserve sidelined, head coach Billy Donovan had no choice but to lean on some different players.

After Ayo Dosunmu and Kevin Huerter entered the game, it was Patrick Williams and Dalen Terry who heard their names called in the first quarter. Eventually, Jevon Carter also checked in and made it a 10-player opening frame for the Bulls.

In other words, the injuries did not stop Donovan from running his normal extended rotation. Depth has been this team's bread-and-butter all season long, and it appears he will continue to lean on that as the Bulls try to move forward without their starting backcourt.

Indeed, this feels especially true when we consider the final results. Not only did the Bulls pull away for the win, but they ended the night with eight players in double figures and 33 assists on 47 made baskets. This group could have folded without their lead ball-handlers on the floor and slipped into a more selfish play style. To this credit, they did the exact opposite. The question now is ... can they keep it up?

Zion Williamson Loves Playing the Bulls

When Zion Williamson sees the Chicago Bulls on the schedule, he must salivate. The big man is the primary reason why the Pelicans came into the night with two of their eight wins over the Bulls. In their first meeting on November 24, he feasted with 29 points on 8-14 shooting from the field. He also got to the free throw line for a season-high 13-16 showing.

Fast forward to their matchup earlier in December, and Williamson was in full control again. To be sure, he was coming off a multi-game absence and on a strict minutes restriction, yet he still recorded 18 points with 6 rebounds and 3 assists in 26 minutes of action to help the Pelicans pull off the 114-104 win.

With those performances in mind, it came as little surprise that Williamson looked as comfortable as he did in this one. He started the night with 8-13 from the field for 20 points in the first half. He was 4-5 from the paint in the second quarter alone, and he scored 6 points in less than a minute to eventually tie the game.

Of course, the Bulls eventually pulled away in the second half to secure the win, but Williamson still finished with a season-high 31 points. As good as he is when healthy, the performance serves as a reminder to many other big men out there that the Bulls have very little rim protection.

Chicago Bulls Player Grades

Tre Jones – A
Stats: 20 PTS, 12 AST, 2 REB

Filling in for Josh Giddey, Tre Jones did exactly what the Bulls needed him to do. He was a perfect 7-7 from the field and only finished the night with one miss from the charity stripe (5-6). His shot selection was excellent, and his table-setting was even better.

Isaac Okoro – A
Stats: 24 PTS, 5 REB, 2 AST

I'm not sure anyone expected Isaac Okoro to be the one who stepped up in the scoring department. The forward was excellent from start to finish tonight, hustling in transition and aggressively attacking the rim. He ended the evening 6-6 from the restricted area and 8-10 overall for a season-high performance. What a night for the wing!

Jalen Smith – B+
Stats: 14 PTS, 14 REB, 2 BLK

Moved into the starting lineup alongside Nikola Vucevic, Jalen Smith looked like one of the most active players on the floor. He was physical on the glass and opportunistic offensively. All things considered, the big man deserves an immense amount of respect for the season he continues to put together.

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

I really liked the way Matas Buzelis played, even if he found himself in foul trouble shortly after coming out of the locker room. The forward came up particularly big in the fourth quarter with 10 points on a 4-6 shooting display. Chicago ultimately won the final frame 37-28.

Nikola Vucevic – B-
Stats: 17 PTS, 8 REB, 5 AST

Nikola Vucevic looked like the adult in the room. He was 4-6 in the paint and 7-13 from the field overall. Matched up against two smaller and inexperienced frontcourt players, the veteran did what he needed to and helped the Bulls take control of the game.

Patrick Williams – C+
Stats: 12 PTS, 2 REB, 2 AST

All things considered, you have to respect the way Patrick Williams played. While he may not have recorded the most impressive stat line, he was one of the Bulls' more physical players on the court and took a real beating. Likewise, his solid two-way play in the third quarter is a big reason why his team took a 97-90 lead into the final 12 minutes.

Ayo Dosunmu – C
Stats: 12 PTS, 6 AST, 4 REB

Considering how weak this Pelicans team is in transition, I thought Dosunmu would have finished with a slightly more impactful night offensively (3-11 FG). Nevertheless, his facilitating and consistent emphasis on pushing the tempo made a difference.