Tonight's matchup with the New York Knicks was the most revealing game for the new-look Chicago Bulls. After starting 4-0, the masses claimed it was due to weak opponents, the opposition's abysmal three-point shooting, and some luck sprinkled in. After today's statement win against a fully healthy Eastern Conference title contender, the naysayers are running dry of justifications for why the Bulls have been successful this season. After five games, there's no denying they are not only a much different product than anyone expected, but a genuine contender.
Playing For One Another
Anyone who has watched the Bulls over the past decade can point to the most significant difference between this year's team and previous ones: inclusivity. Many will agree that the dynamic of a team starts with the top players, and in Chicago's case, it has changed the trajectory of the entire organization. For the past seven seasons, Zach LaVine was an on-ball, elite scoring guard. This season, Josh Giddey is a pass-first, facilitating star. His ability to involve the entire team while also finding his shots at an efficient rate has made all the difference. The most noticeable change has been with Nikola Vucevic, who is posting career numbers in a more fluidly flowing offensive style with less isolation than the previous handful of seasons.
Ayo Dosunmu on the Bulls’ camaraderie: “It felt special just going to dinners. This group, by far, is prob the closest group in terms of that. You know how some teams it might’ve been forced in terms of the way we clicked as fast? This group, we can go on a bus ride, we laughing,… pic.twitter.com/dgkLUr76XM
— Joel Lorenzi (@JoelXLorenzi) October 28, 2025
With 11 players aged 25 or younger, the cohesion shines on the court. This group is young, unproven, and hungry for success. They seem to play with a sense of not knowing or caring which players handle the ball or shoot the most on any given night. They rank second in the league in assists and third in passes per game.
Defensive Effort Making The Difference
Chicago's most impressive turnaround from last season is its defense. They've been deploying the strategy of not giving up three-point makes and forcing teams to outdo them with two-point baskets. While they give up the most points in the paint in the NBA, they are limiting the opposition to the lowest three-point field goal percentage. With the majority of the roster consisting of young, athletic, and explosive players, the entire rotation is playing as a cohesive unit, flying around the court and causing chaos on that end.
Why is No One Talking About Chicago Right Now?
— m1key | Content Creator (@DrizzyGotNext) October 28, 2025
The Bulls are 3-0, 5th in Assists Per Game as a Team, 4th in Points Allowed Per Game, 8th in Rebounds, and 1st in 3 Point Percentage Allowed.
With Wins Over Detroit, Orlando, and Atlanta.
No Coby White as Well.#BullsNation pic.twitter.com/T90amQ2D1Q
This Bulls defense is suffocating the Knicks rn
— BullsShowYo (@BullsShowYo) November 1, 2025
Josh Giddey, Nikola Vucevic, And Ayo Dosunmu Carrying The Load
Many fans and analysts wondered if paying Josh Giddey the $100 million that the Bulls did was a good decision. Of course, many Chicago fans are still haunted by the max contract given to LaVine, which ultimately led to the organization's demise for the next four years. Through the first handful of games in 2025, Giddey is looking worthy of every penny. In his biggest game with the team, he put up a monster 32-point, nine-assist, and ten-rebound performance.
Josh Giddey vs Knicks:
— StatMuse (@statmuse) November 1, 2025
32 PTS
10 REB
9 AST
0 TOV
5-0. pic.twitter.com/MuyzjduhGE
Nikola Vucevic has been excellent. Dipping into the fountain of youth, he's racking up nearly 20 points, 12 rebounds, and five assists per night. His usage and ability to stretch the floor have been invaluable to this offensive attack.
Drive. Spin. AND-1.
— NBA (@NBA) November 1, 2025
Nikola Vučević, everyone!
Bulls closing in on their first 5-0 start since the '96-97 season!
🏆 NYK-CHI • East Group C@emirates NBA Cup on NBA League Pass pic.twitter.com/4qS2qAnU7I
Ayo Dosunmu is playing the best basketball of his career. He's currently the best player off the bench, and might be in the running for the league's Sixth Man of the Year honor. He's averaging over 15 points per night, shooting over 52% from the floor and a blazing 50% from three-point land.
Sitting atop the Eastern Conference and undefeated in NBA Cup play, are the Bulls a genuine title contender? The evidence for arguing that they are simply lightning in a bottle is running dry. How many more impressive wins do they need to stack before they're taken seriously?
Against all odds, basketball buzz has officially returned to Chicago.
