Derrick Rose at the United Center. LeBron James still terrorizing the Chicago Bulls. We’re back in 2012 again, aren’t we?
Last night, the Los Angeles Lakers put on an offensive masterclass against Chicago, knocking the Bulls back to a .500 record. But there’s a jam-packed week ahead.
Let’s talk Bulls basketball.
There’s a lot you can blame for the loss last night. The inability to stop Luka Dončić from… anything (he put up 46 points, 11 assists, and seven rebounds). Or failing to slow down LeBron James, who dropped 20 points in the first half alone. Or letting Rui Hachimura get scorching hot off the bench with 23 points on absurd efficiency. But I’ve got a bigger issue. For a team like the Bulls — a team that hates the midrange because it’s considered a low-percentage shot — they were way too comfortable settling for contested, out-of-range threes. All of that instead of attacking the paint against one of the lesser defenses in the NBA. It felt like they believed they needed to individually match Luka and LeBron, possession for possession, instead of having an identity or a plan. But the Bulls don’t play that way. They play as a team. Multiple guys averaging double-digit points. That’s the pro and the con of not having a true superstar. And last night, it was absolutely a con. Chicago settled. They attempted 16 more threes than the Lakers and gained zero advantage from it. The most maddening stretch came in the third quarter, when they launched 16 threes alone, missing the last nine in a row, and still kept firing. © Kyle Terada-Imagn Images Matas Buzelis, one of the most lethal rim attackers on this roster, took six of his eight shots from behind the arc. That’s the problem. When the pressure ramps up, they shy away from what they do best. But maybe I should’ve seen it coming. Earlier in the day, right after finding out he’s been selected for the Rising Stars Game at All-Star Weekend, Matas announced he wouldn’t be participating in the dunk contest this year.Matas Buzelis says he got invited to do the dunk contest again but declined. “I’m trying to listen to my body,” he said, noting an important stretch coming up. Said he’d love to do it again in the future, though.
— Joel Lorenzi (@JoelXLorenzi) January 27, 2026 Speaking of which, I’ve been loving Jalen Smith in the starting lineup lately. That said, I still think he can be even more lethal playing next to Josh Giddey. Smith is a true modern-day big man. He can dunk, rebound, protect the rim, and knock down threes. That’s what he does — and honestly, that’s all you need him to do. The double-big lineup opens up a lot of good things for the Bulls. So much so that Billy Donovan hasn’t looked back since committing to running Smith and Nikola Vucevic together.“I feel like our games complement each other,” Smith said of Vucevic. “Obviously, both of us are pick-and-pop threats. He’s more pick-and-pop than pick-and-roll. I can do a little bit of both as well. But I feel as though it spreads the defense out a lot more. It causes matchups where they put a guard on Vooch and a big on me, or vice versa. We’re able to work around that and leave our offense to the guards to get them more space.”
© David Banks-Imagn Images And I agree with him. I also like the idea that having two bigs on the floor naturally discourages smaller guards from attacking the rim. But where this lineup really thrives is with a pass-first guard running the show. We saw it before Tre Jones went down with injury. And once Giddey clears protocol, his passing will unlock the two-big look again. Too often, you’ll see Vucevic sealed in the paint with a mismatch and it never gets exploited. That’s not something a non–pass-first guard is consistently going to recognize — or prioritize. I just don’t think this version of the Bulls reaches its ceiling without someone actively looking to make those reads.Stix with a 10-point first quarter ? pic.twitter.com/b6WxfaLYC1
— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) January 27, 2026 Also, did you catch that Benny the Bull has a new jersey number? After Derrick Rose officially had No. 1 retired, it meant no one else in the organization could wear it again. I assumed that meant players. Turns out, the best mascot in the NBA was no exception.I got 9️⃣9️⃣ problems but my number ain’t 1! pic.twitter.com/l0h0R1OnMz
— Benny (@bennythebull) January 27, 2026 Benny has been in Chicago since 1969, and ever since his first iteration wore a jersey, it’s always been No. 1. Now listen, I’m not saying D-Rose shouldn’t have gotten the number. He absolutely earned it. But I do think Benny deserved at least a consultation. Either way, the decision’s been made. Benny is officially rocking a new number for the rest of his career — something he hinted at during a recent press conference. Pure class. Pure respect. From Benny the Bull, as always.No comment ?️ pic.twitter.com/aCu1ftlFEl
— Benny (@bennythebull) January 26, 2026MORE BULLS FROM BLEACHER NATION: Go Ad Free | Subscribe to the BN Newsletter
Teuvo’s Back, Bedard’s New Line, Mikheyev’s Value, Soucy Traded, and Other Blackhawks Bullets Another Wave of Signings Looms, Outfield Depth Mix, Old Friend and the Cardinals, and Other Cubs Bullets A Quick Look at the 2026 Chicago Bears Salary Cap SituationHence then, the article about no dunk contest for matas settling for 3 s benny the bull s new number and other bulls bullets was published today ( ) and is available on Bleacher Nation ( Middle East ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( No Dunk Contest for Matas, Settling For 3’s, Benny the Bull’s New Number, and Other Bulls Bullets )
Also on site :