Happy 2026! Our Chicago Bulls wrapped up the calendar year with a resounding 134-118 triumph over the visiting New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday. Chicago is now 16-17 on the season.
Guard Tre Jones, promoted to a starting role in the absence of the injured Coby White and Josh Giddey (rather than adding another reserve guard into the mix, head coach Billy Donovan gambled on size, bringing in big man Jalen Smith to his starting unit), submitted a historically great night. Starting small forward Isaac Okoro, meanwhile, had his best offensive game of this season.
No Coby, No Giddey, No Problem! Bulls Blitz Pelicans at Home, 134-118 — December 31, 2025Chicago is in the midst of a packed slate, and will play eight games in the next 13 days. White is out for at least a week — after which the Bulls’ medical staff will take stock of his progress — backup center Zach Collins is on the shelf for the next 10-ish days, and Giddey will be reassessed in two weeks.
It’s possible that Chicago could be missing all three players for this entire ensuing eight-bout stretch.
The First Bulls Bullets of 2026
Jones chipped in 20 points on a perfect 7-of-7 shooting from the field and 5-of-6 shooting from the free throw line, while passing for 12 assists (against just one turnover). Chicago Sports Network’s K.C. Johnson reports that, per the Bulls, no other player in the history of the league had scored 20 points without a missed field goal and logged 12 dimes (against just one turnover). For the year, the 6-foot-1 Duke product has been averaging 12.4 points on .533/.293/.835 shooting splits, 5.2 assists (against 1.3 turnovers), 2.9 rebounds and 1.4 steals a night. Despite his slight frame and inefficient shooting, Jones has been a solid scorer inside the arc and a respectable defender and distributor everywhere. Okoro, meanwhile, logged his top performance since being obtained by the Bulls in the team’s Lonzo Ball trade this past summer. He scored a season-best 24 points on 8-of-10 shooting from the floor and 6-of-10 shooting from the foul line, grabbed five boards, and blocked two shots while registering an elite +31 plus-minus. twitter.com/CHSN_Bulls/status/2006555910110679105 While speaking with Johnson postgame, the 6-foot-4 Auburn product explained how he and the Bulls managed to enjoy one of their better games of the year — sans their two best players."I don't back down from anyone."@KCJHoop catches up with Isaac Okoro following his season-high 24 points in the Bulls' win over New Orleans pic.twitter.com/vNjcXBvmx5
— Bulls on CHSN (@CHSN_Bulls) January 1, 2026 “Just getting to my spots, getting into the paint finishing and the open 3-ball for me,” Okoro said of his own big offensive night. “My teammates were finding me on the floor, so credit to them.” Chicago managed to dish out 33 assists, while holding onto the rock with remarkable control. The Bulls logged a season-low seven turnovers. “When we’re sharing the ball, everyone’s touching it, multiple guys in double figures,” Okoro told Johnson. “Like I said, once we play with a competitive spirit and effort, I feel like we could beat anyone.” Patrick Gorski-Imagn ImagesBeyond The Bulls
Chicago’s opposition on Saturday, the 11-22 Charlotte Hornets, has been getting a bit frisky of late. Charlotte has gone a not-terrible 4-6 across its last 10 contests. Rookie of the Year candidate Kon Knueppel has been all the rage of late. The fate of maximum-salaried one-time Hornets All-Star point guard LaMelo Ball, 24, has been a bit of a question mark. Ball and two-time All-Star Memphis Grizzlies point guard Ja Morant may have relatively limited value on the trade market at present, ESPN’s Tim MacMahon said on “The Hoop Collective” podcast Monday. “If there is an attempt to trade these guys, it’s not going to be easy,” MacMahon said. “There’s not going to be some wide array of teams raising their hand and trying to get in on the bidding, and I’m not sure if you’re even gonna be able to make a trade that’s going to bring value in return.” San Antonio Spurs fans held their collective breaths when All-Star center Victor Wembanyama departed the club’s eventual 134-132 victory against the New York Knicks on Wednesday night with an apparent knee injury. The 7-foot-5 big man eventually returned to the bench, if not the game. Per Shams Charania of ESPN, tests indicated that the 21-year-old managed to stave off a long-term ailment. Wembanyama has been diagnosed with a hyperextended left knee. In other Spurs news, extension-eligible forward Julian Champagnie went 11-of-17 from distance during San Antonio’s 134-132 comeback victory over the New York Knicks on Wednesday. The Spurs had trailed New York by as many as 19 points. The victory marked San Antonio’s eighth in its last 10 contests. San Antonio improved to a 24-9 record on the year. Don’t look now, but the healing Cleveland Cavaliers seem to be meshing once again. The Bulls’ home-and-home, back-to-back defeats of Cleveland capped a brutal stretch of four losses in five games. But victories against some NBA lottery cannon fodder, the 11-22 Hornets and 8-27 New Orleans Pelicans, helped the Cavaliers right the course. Most recently, Cleveland has taken down two quality West foes, the Spurs on Monday and the Phoenix Suns on New Year’s Eve. All-Stars Darius Garland, Jarrett Allen, Evan Mobley and Donovan Mitchell all scored 16 or more points against Phoenix. Mobley, Allen and Mitchell all notched double-doubles, with Mitchell falling just three assists shy of a triple-double, pouring in 34 points, grabbing 10 boards, and dishing out seven dimes. The Cavaliers suddenly sport a 19-16 record, and are just a game behind the 20-15 Toronto Raptors for the East’s No. 4 seed.MORE BULLS FROM BLEACHER NATION: Go Ad Free | Subscribe to the BN Newsletter
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