Defense? We don't need no stinking defense.
The Bulls and Hawks combined for 302 points in a wild Sunday afternoon shootout at State Farm Arena, with Chicago escaping with a 152-150 victory that felt more like a video game than an NBA contest. It was the highest-scoring game in the league this season and a stark reminder that sometimes basketball is just about buckets.
Three hundred and two points. Let that sink in.
Buzelis Breaks Out
Matas Buzelis picked the perfect time to have his best game as a professional. The rookie forward exploded for 28 points on scorching shooting, including a career-high seven three-pointers on just eight attempts. He was the best player on the floor in a game featuring Trae Young and nine other Bulls in double figures.
This wasn't just a hot shooting night. This was a coming-out party. Buzelis played with confidence, aggression, and the kind of swagger that suggests he's starting to figure out this whole NBA thing. When the Bulls needed a bucket in the fourth quarter, he delivered. When they needed spacing, he provided it. When they needed energy, he brought it.
For a team desperately searching for young talent to build around, Buzelis just gave them a glimpse of what could be. Not potential. Not promise. Actual production when it mattered most.
Nine in Double Figures
This was the ultimate team effort on offense. Nine Bulls scored in double figures. Coby White added 21 points despite being questionable with a sore ankle. Josh Giddey contributed 19 points and 12 assists, orchestrating the offense with his usual efficiency. The balanced attack kept Atlanta's defense constantly scrambling.
Chicago set season highs for points in a first half and in a game. They scored 83 points before halftime, breaking their previous record of 72 set in a loss to Cleveland back in November. By the time the final buzzer sounded, they'd put up 152βtheir highest total of the season and the most in a regulation game all year across the league.
The Bulls shot the ball well, moved it even better, and simply overwhelmed a Hawks defense that had no answers. When your offense is clicking like this, it doesn't matter if you're giving up 150. You just have to score 151.
Young and Johnson Keep It Close
Trae Young returned to the starting lineup for just the second time in three games after missing 21 with an MCL sprain, and he looked like he'd never left. Young poured in a season-high 35 points, attacking Chicago's defense with his usual mix of floaters, pull-up threes, and crafty finishes at the rim.
Jalen Johnson led Atlanta with 36 points, including a clutch three-pointer with five seconds remaining that gave the Hawks a 150-149 lead and set up the frantic finish. Onyeka Okongwu added 23 points, and Vit Krejci chipped in 20 as Atlanta tried desperately to keep pace.
But the Hawks couldn't get enough stops when they needed them. They've now lost three straight and seven of nine to fall back to .500 at 15-15. For a team with playoff aspirations, that's a troubling trend.
Heart-Stopping Finish
The final seconds were pure chaos. Johnson's three-pointer cut the Bulls' lead to one at 151-150 with five seconds remaining. The Hawks still had life.
Buzelis stepped to the line with 4.2 seconds remaining and made one of two free throws to push Chicago's lead back to two at 152-150. Young had one last chance to tie or win it, but his final jumper clanged off the rim as time expired.
A one-point win in a 302-point game. Basketball doesn't get much wilder than that.
Three Straight and Climbing
The Bulls have now won three straight games for the first time since their 5-0 start to the season. They're 13-15, still below .500, but suddenly looking like a team that might have figured something out. The offense is clicking. The young guys are contributing. The veterans are providing steady production.
Is this sustainable? Probably notβyou can't score 150 every night. But it's a hell of a lot more fun than the seven-game losing streak they endured earlier this month. And with another game against Atlanta on Tuesday, they have a chance to make it four straight and sweep the season series.
Defense Optional
Let's address the elephant in the room: Chicago gave up 150 points. Their defense, already ranked dead last in the league, looked like a sieve. Atlanta scored at will, particularly in the third quarter when they dropped 42 points to cut into Chicago's halftime lead.
This isn't sustainable. You can't win consistently when you're letting teams score 150. Eventually, the shots stop falling, and if your defense isn't there, you're cooked.
But for one Sunday afternoon in Atlanta, the Bulls didn't need defense. They just needed to keep scoring. And boy, did they score.
What's Next
The Bulls and Hawks run it back Tuesday night in the second game of a home-and-home series. Chicago has a chance to complete the sweep and extend their winning streak to four. Atlanta, meanwhile, needs to find some answers on both ends of the floor before their season completely slips away.
For the Bulls, this game was a reminder of what's possible when their offense is firing on all cylinders. Buzelis showed he can be a legitimate weapon. The balanced attack proved they have options. The winning streak suggests they might actually be building something.
Defense would be nice. But for now, they'll take the wins however they can get them.
Even if it takes 152 points to do it.