The Chicago Bulls dropped their tenth straight game on Tuesday night, falling 131–99 to the Charlotte Hornets, extending a brutal February stretch in which Chicago has not managed to win a single game amid growing frustration and mounting internal pressure.

The blowout loss underscored yet again how deeply the Bulls have struggled to find stability following the Trade Deadline, with offensive inconsistencies, defensive lapses and roster adjustments contributing heavily to one of the franchise’s roughest months in recent memory.

Still, even in defeat, second-year forward Matas Buzelis delivered a bright spot with a season-high 32 points, showcasing his expanding offensive repertoire, improved confidence and his rapidly growing role as a foundational part of Chicago’s long-term plans.

Despite the individual achievement, Buzelis made it clear that personal production means little without victories, telling K.C. Johnson of The Chicago Sports Network that his primary focus remains solely on winning games, not padding his statistics during a difficult stretch.

He said: “I want to win games. I’m working every day to try to win. And so is everybody else.” His sentiment reflected the collective frustration inside a young and increasingly burdened locker room trying to withstand the emotional weight of a prolonged losing skid.

Along with his 32 points, Buzelis also posted a team-high six rebounds and knocked down six three-pointers, illustrating how his shooting rhythm, spacing awareness and overall offensive versatility have grown significantly since entering the league in 2024.

The Bulls’ latest defeat now drops them to 24–35, leaving little margin for error as they prepare to close out the month with a Thursday home game against the Portland Trail Blazers, a matchup that represents their final chance to avoid a completely winless February.

Tuesday night also marked the long-awaited return of former Bulls guard Coby White, who was traded to Charlotte just before the February 5 deadline and received a warm welcome in his first game back in Chicago.

White, now part of a Hornets team fighting for playoff positioning, finished with 10 points while navigating a mix of emotions as he reunited with fans, former teammates and the arena he called home for the first five years of his career.

For Buzelis, the return of White added another emotional layer to a period defined by dramatic roster turnover, as he continues adjusting to life without several teammates who helped shape his early development and comfort within the organization.

The second-year forward is averaging 15.3 points and 5.4 rebounds per game this season, but those numbers only tell part of the story, as Buzelis has been thrust into a dramatically expanded role following Chicago’s major roster reconfiguration.

Since the deadline, Buzelis has had to process the departures of Ayo Dosunmu, Nikola Vucevic, Kevin Huerter, and Coby White — players who formed the core rotation and locker-room backbone during his first season.

With those veterans gone, the Bulls’ remaining core now consists largely of Buzelis, Josh Giddey, and Jalen Smith, a young trio tasked with stabilizing the offense, carrying increased usage and forming the early foundation of Chicago’s next developmental phase.

The shift has placed more pressure on Buzelis to become a primary scoring option, floor spacer and secondary playmaker, responsibilities that typically take years for young forwards to absorb but have become immediate necessities due to Chicago’s depleted roster structure.

Adding to the complexity is Chicago’s need to completely rebuild its offensive identity after losing several perimeter creators and interior anchors, forcing Buzelis to adapt to new spacing patterns, defensive attention and rotational combinations with limited continuity.

Despite the challenges, Buzelis’ growth trajectory has remained one of the most encouraging developments of the Bulls’ difficult season, validated further by his participation in the NBA Rising Stars Game during All-Star Weekend — a milestone that recognized his ascension among the league’s elite young talents.

His viral dunks earlier in the season added to his national profile, generating widespread attention for his combination of length, elevation and explosiveness, skill sets that Chicago believes can eventually anchor its long-term rebuilding blueprint.

However, development within a losing environment is never easy, and the Bulls’ ongoing skid has placed considerable weight on younger players to remain confident, patient and committed while navigating constant lineup shifts and increased expectations.

The Bulls have struggled to generate consistent defensive stops, maintain offensive rhythm or execute effectively in transition, gaps that become magnified in games where the opposing team — like Charlotte — capitalizes on every mistake with ruthless efficiency.

Chicago’s third-quarter collapse against the Hornets, in which they were outscored 42–16, highlighted the extent of the team’s issues with turnovers, conditioning and mid-game adjustments, areas that remain major obstacles to any hope of a late-season surge.

With only a few weeks left in the regular season, the Bulls face increasingly urgent questions about their trajectory, player development priorities, and whether their current roster foundation is strong enough to build upon in the offseason.

Buzelis, Giddey and Smith represent the early seeds of Chicago’s future, but the Bulls still require additional veteran stability, improved spacing, better interior protection and heightened defensive structure to return to competitive relevance in the Eastern Conference.

For now, the Bulls must focus on incremental growth, rebuilding chemistry and mitigating the mental fatigue that accompanies long losing streaks, especially as they try to avoid slipping further behind in the standings.

As for Buzelis, he continues to embrace the responsibility placed upon him, understanding that his development — along with Chicago’s ability to stabilize their young core — will prove essential to restoring relevance to a franchise searching for direction.

His message remains simple and unwavering: he wants to win, he works every day toward that goal, and he remains committed to elevating not just his own game but the collective performance of a Bulls team navigating enormous change.

Though the season continues to test Chicago’s resilience, Buzelis’ maturity, production and competitive spirit offer signs of hope amid a difficult stretch — and perhaps, the foundation for what the Bulls hope will eventually become a brighter future.