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The Good, The Bad, The Ugly From Chicago's Late Game Collapse In Philly
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- The Good, The Bad, The Ugly From Chicago's Late Game Collapse In Philly
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The Chicago Bulls suffered another frustrating loss Monday night, falling 126-107 to the Philadelphia 76ers in a game where the final score told most of the story.
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There were a few bright spots, particularly from Caleb Wilson , Josh Giddey and Jalen Smith, but outside of those three, Chicago struggled to find much of anything.
The effort was inconsistent, the decision-making was questionable and far too many players looked completely out of sync.
Let's get into the good, bad and ugly from another disappointing night for the Bulls.
Nov 2, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Chicago Bulls forward Caleb Wilson (8) reacts to his three pointer against the Philadelphia 76ers during the first quarter at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
The Good
Josh Giddey finally looked like himself again.
For the first time this season, Giddey resembled the player Bulls fans have grown accustomed to watching.
The sixth-year point guard came out aggressive, recording nine assists and attempting nine shots in the first half alone.
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While nine assists in a half is impressive, those nine shot attempts might be the more encouraging number.
Giddey is at his best when defenses have to respect him as a scoring threat. Too often this season, he's been content to facilitate without putting much pressure on the defense himself.
When Giddey looks for his own shot, passing lanes open up, defenders are forced to make decisions and the entire offense becomes more dangerous.
He didn't shoot particularly well, finishing with 13 points, four rebounds and 10 assists, but the mentality was exactly what Chicago needed to see.
The Giddey-Smith connection continues to shine.
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Speaking of Giddey, the two-man game between him and Jalen Smith has quietly become one of the most enjoyable parts of watching this Bulls offense.
Smith just understands how to play alongside Giddey.
Whether he's rolling to the basket, popping out for a jumper or making a simple cut behind the defense, Smith always seems to find himself in the right place at the right time.
And Giddey has no problem finding him.
Their chemistry is a major reason why Smith deserves to remain in the starting lineup, even when Nic Claxton returns.
Two words. Caleb. Wilson.
What else is there to say about this kid?
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Wilson finished with 24 points, seven rebounds, four assists and four steals in what might have been his best all-around performance of the young season.
The rookie was everywhere.
He made his presence felt offensively, created opportunities for his teammates and continued to showcase the defensive instincts that make his ceiling so exciting.
Wilson isn't just putting up numbers. He's impacting games in multiple ways and doing it while the rest of his team struggles to find consistency.
Caleb Wilson is the truth, and he's here to stay.
The Bulls have found themselves a potential franchise cornerstone. Now comes the difficult part: building a competitive roster around him.
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Unfortunately, outside of Wilson, Giddey and Smith, there wasn't much else worth celebrating Monday night.
The Bad
Chicago desperately needs Nic Claxton back.
Smith has done an admirable job holding down the paint with the starters, but the depth behind him has become a serious problem.
Zach Collins simply hasn't provided the production Chicago needs from its backup center.
Maybe his injury is still affecting him, but whatever the reason, Collins has been a nonfactor for much of the young season.
Tobe Awaka has shown flashes of energy and hustle in limited opportunities, particularly on the glass, but Tiago Splitter clearly isn't comfortable giving him significant minutes.
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And while Awaka's rebounding ability is impressive, his lack of height makes certain matchups difficult against the NBA's bigger frontcourts.
Claxton's return should provide some much-needed size, rim protection and stability to a frontcourt that has struggled whenever Smith heads to the bench.
Leonard Miller's early-season spark is fading.
Miller was one of the more pleasant surprises to open the season, providing scoring, energy and hustle off the bench.
Unfortunately, that production has cooled considerably.
The scoring bursts haven't been there recently, his defensive impact has been limited and the hustle plays aren't making up for the lack of production.
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Miller doesn't need to score 15 points every night to help this team, but he does need to find ways to consistently impact games.
Right now, those contributions have become harder to find.
Nov 2, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers forward LeBron James (23) is fouled for an and one while scoring in front of Chicago Bulls forward Leonard Miller (11) during the fourth quarter at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
The Ugly
Matas Buzelis looks completely lost.
This might be the most concerning development of Chicago's young season.
Buzelis has all the physical tools that made him such an exciting prospect, but mentally, he just doesn't look dialed in.
There are too many careless turnovers, lazy passes and possessions where he seems to be thinking rather than reacting.
Defensively, the awareness hasn't been there. On the glass, the effort has been inconsistent.
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Too often, Buzelis is simply floating around without making much of an impact.
At some point, Splitter might need to consider a soft benching to send a message.
The question is whether that would light a fire under Buzelis or cause him to retreat even further into his struggles.
Either way, something needs to change.
Isaac Okoro's struggles are becoming impossible to ignore.
Splitter clearly values Okoro's perimeter defense, but his offensive production has been downright dreadful.
And frankly, the defense hasn't been good enough to justify how little he's providing on the other end.
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It might sound crazy, but is it time to give Patrick Williams another opportunity?
Williams still has two years remaining on his contract after this season, while Okoro is playing on an expiring deal.
With Williams' contract looking nearly impossible to move, Chicago might as well see whether there's anything left to salvage.
If not Williams, why not give rookie Dailyn Swain a chance in a limited role?
This is a rebuilding team. Developing young talent should take priority over continuing to play veterans who aren't producing.
At this point, what does Chicago really have to lose?
Final Thoughts
The Bulls will be back in action Wednesday against the New York Knicks, giving them another opportunity to face a team they've already seen this season.
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For a rebuilding team, these rematches are valuable measuring sticks.
The Bulls don't necessarily need to beat New York to show progress. They need to demonstrate that they've learned something from their previous meeting.
Can Buzelis respond? Can Giddey build on his aggressiveness? Can the rest of the roster match Wilson's energy?
Wins and losses aren't the most important thing for this Bulls team right now.
Development is.
And Wednesday offers another opportunity to see whether Chicago's young roster is actually moving in the right direction.
