Three Takeaways From OKC's Road Win Over The Bulls

The short-handed Thunder claimed a well-earned road win on Tuesday night.

The first half was a tight contest, but OKC started to pull away in the third until eventually beating the Bulls 116-108. Oklahoma City’s backcourt did well even without Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, with four Thunder guards scoring double-digit points, including Jared McCain, who led the team in points with 20.

Jaylin Williams and Chet Holmgren both picked up a double-double. Williams had 17 points and 16 rebounds, and Holmgren put up 12 points and 11 rebounds.

OKC has now won three straight games and looks to keep this streak up, even without the full power of its roster available.

Here are three takeaways from the Thunder’s win over the Bulls.

Feb 22, 2026; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Isaiah Joe (11) shoots a three point basket against the Cleveland Cavaliers during the first half at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images | Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

1. Isaiah Joe helps lead the charge

The Thunder were once again without multiple key names walking into this bout and needed someone to step up and lead the team. Luckily, Isaiah Joe was up for the challenge. Joe got to work from the opening tip as he ended the first half with 15 points.

Joe would keep this momentum as he ended the game with 19 points, shooting 46.7% from the field and grabbing two rebounds. He would be one of the primary reasons OKC was able to walk away with a win with just a shell of its roster, and has kept up this trend for quite some time.

Oklahoma City has had serious injury troubles this season, but luckily, they have role players like Joe who can turn it on when the lights are brightest.

Mar 3, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault directs his team against the Chicago Bulls during the first half at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

2. Trouble from deep

OKC has never been the best at making shots from beyond the arc, and tonight, unfortunately, was no different. The Thunder shot 24% from deep on Tuesday night, even worse than their average of 36.3% from three.

This hurt Oklahoma City as the Bulls shot 35% from three and made 17 three-pointers compared to the Thunder’s 10. Luckily, the Thunder were able to power through their troubles from beyond the arc, but as the season continues to reach its end, OKC will need to fix this issue before games start to matter in the postseason.

Mar 3, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Josh Giddey (3) defends against Oklahoma City Thunder center Chet Holmgren (7)during the first half at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

3. Thunder defense provides offense

If Oklahoma City is going to do one thing, it's play good defense. The Thunder once again beat their opponent in the turnover battle, as the Bulls turned the ball over 19 times compared to OKC’s nine turnovers.

This provided the Thunder with more opportunities to score, and they took advantage of it. OKC scored 25 points off the Bulls’ mistakes, which ultimately helped Oklahoma City take this game. In a game where the Thunder was without multiple of its main scorers and playmakers, the Thunder defense stepped up and took some strain off the diluted offense.