The Chicago Bulls couldn’t possibly lose with Ben Johnson in the building, right?

After going winless in February and dropping 11 consecutive games, the new-look Bulls have pulled off their very first victory. Might this 120-97 win irk the tank supporters since it ate into Milwaukee’s lead for the 11th seed? Yes … but the Bulls were never going to lose every game the rest of the way.

Some wins are just going to happen, and there isn’t much you can do when an opponent makes only two field goals in the entire fourth quarter!

3 Takeaways

Ball Movement Returns

The Chicago Bulls looked a lot more like the Chicago Bulls on Sunday afternoon. So … mediocre?

There was a noticeable difference in this group’s offensive rhythm and movement from the moment the ball was tipped. Might that have been thanks to Milwaukee’s 24th-ranked defense? It sure didn’t hurt. But a fully healthy Josh Giddey and Tre Jones finally made a legitimate difference. The ball was popping around the horn and ending up in the hands of open shooters on repeat.

Now, did the Bulls settle for too many three-pointers early on? You could for sure say that! They took 18 of their first 21 shots from behind the arc, making only six. But the ball movement was encouraging and made the 66-51 halftime deficit feel slightly closer than it was. They assisted on 15 of their first 18 buckets.

The Bulls also deserve some credit for finally making some worthwhile halftime adjustments. The third quarter has been a major problem for this new-look group in recent weeks, but they came out in attack mode. They ended up going 7-8 from inside the restricted area and 10-12 from the free throw line. Collin Sexton was the catalyst for this downhill attack, scoring 10 of his season-high 22 points in the frame.

Shrinking their deficit to 89-87 going into the fourth quarter, the momentum had completely swung. The Bulls looked more connected than they have been in well over a month, and this led to a dominant fourth quarter, which we’ll discuss more below. By the time the final buzzer sounded, they had 34 assists on the board. The Bulls had failed to have a game with 30+ dimes since January 31 against Miami, which also happened to be their last victory.

The Ridiculous Run

With the Milwaukee Bucks on their heels, the Chicago Bulls took full advantage.

The fourth quarter proved to be their most dominant of the regular season, which surely came as a surprise for a group that has ranked dead-last in offensive rating since February 1. At one point, they were on a 27-0 run, which ultimately resulted in a 33-8 scoring effort in the final frame. This epic run was headlined by an incredible Matas Buzelis poster dunk over Bobby Portis, as well as a fantastic alley-oop connection between Giddey and Nick Richards.

Exhibit A:

Exhibit B:

What made the run especially impressive was the fact that everybody was involved. Giddey may have still been the architect for a lot of the action, but Buzelis, Richards, Sexton, Jones, Isaac Okoro, and Leonard Miller all found the bottom of the net. It ultimately resulted in Chicago finishing the night with seven players in double figures, which included three in the 20s (Giddey, Buzelis, Sexton).

You also have to give the Bulls’ defense some credit. While there is no question that the Bucks’ offensive woes were partially self-inflicted, the Bulls were active. This was also a game where their lack of true size wasn’t a major issue, as the Bucks are also rather small when Giannis Antetokounmpo is off the floor. They ended up finishing the night with 14 steals and 20 points off 19 Bucks turnovers.

A Tighter Rotation

Billy Donovan went with a rather uncharacteristic approach. Normally, going deep into his bench and not shying away from playing two-way guys, the head coach held back. He essentially played an eight-man rotation of Giddey, Jones, Okoro, Buzelis, Yabusele, Sexton, Richards, and Miller. All three players in the second unit clocked 27+ minutes and also finished with 11 or more points.

The fact that he stuck with this even after a 15-point halftime deficit was undoubtedly a surprise, but I suppose it ended up paying off. The only real gripe to have with the decision is that Rob Dillingham ended up the odd man out. While it initially appeared as though he would be part of the rotation, Donovan held him to only 5 minutes of action.

Dillingham needs to be eating up consistent minutes the rest of the season. He is one of the only new players who is currently under contract for the 2026-27 campaign. The Bulls took a chance on the former lottery pick at this trade deadline, and they owe it to themselves to see if they can help him restore his stock.

With that said, I can at least take some solace in knowing that Leonard Miller received his fair share of playing time. The second-year forward was legitimately impactful and flashed some intriguing versatility. He is also one of the few players on this squad to have legitimate size at the wing. I have to imagine he earned himself more playing time tonight.

Chicago Bulls Player Grades

Josh Giddey – A
Stats: 20 PTS, 14 REB, 10 AST, 2 STL

This was a fantastic Josh Giddey game. For a team that desperately needed a win, he took complete control and helped the Bulls look a lot like their former self. He shot a highly efficient 7-14 from the field, which included an impressive 5-11 display from downtown. He is really proving this season that his three-pointer has come a long way.

You also have to tip your cap to him for his activity on the glass, as the Bulls came in very short-handed in the frontcourt without either Jalen Smith or Patrick Williams available.

Collin Sexton – B+
Stats: 22 PTS, 3 REB, 3 STL, 2 AST

Collin Sexton was a +28 tonight off the bench, and it showed. This is the kind of game that will get the veteran guard paid again this summer. He is likely best served as a sparkplug scorer whose aggressiveness can change the momentum of a game. He came out with tons of energy in the second half and refused to let the Bulls’ lead grow.

Leonard Miller – B+
Stats: 15 PTS, 5 REB, 4 AST, 2 BLK

Considering he had barely any playing time before these last two games, you have to tip your cap to Leonard Miller. Tonight marked a career-high for the forward and his second consecutive game in double figures. He has done a really good job letting the game come to him. Whether it be closing out hard to deflect a three-pointer or sliding into open space for the jam, he has been very opportunistic.

Matas Buzelis – B
Stats: 20 PTS, 7 REB, 3 AST, 2 BLK

This kind of stat line is becoming the norm for Matas Buzelis, which is a very exciting development for the Bulls. He now has 20+ points in three straight games, and he did it tonight by shooting 7-15 from the field with plenty of buckets both on and off the ball.

Guerschon Yabusele – C+
Stats: 12 PTS, 7 REB, 5 AST, 3 STL

Guerschon Yabusele may not have had the most efficient scoring performance, but you have to respect how hard he plays. He’s been doing enough over this run with the Bulls to likely warrant another opportunity with a team next season. He’s an unusual player but a very well-rounded one.