ATLANTA — Matas Buzelis hit a career-high seven three-pointers and scored 28 points, leading the Chicago Bulls over the Atlanta Hawks 152-150 on Sunday in the NBA’s highest-scoring game of the 2025-26 season.
The shootout at State Farm Arena produced season bests for Chicago in both first-half scoring and overall points. The Bulls sprinted to an 83-73 halftime edge, eclipsing the 72 points they recorded before the break in Cleveland on Nov. 8, and bettered the 147 they posted in a defeat at Utah on Nov. 16.
Wild finish
Jalen Johnson drilled a three with five seconds remaining to push Chicago in front 151-150. Buzelis then sank one of two free throws with 4.2 seconds left, and Trae Young’s jumper at the horn came up short, sealing the Bulls’ third consecutive win.
Rare offensive explosion
The matchup was only the eighth in league history—and the third in the past 35 seasons—in which both teams scored at least 150 points in regulation. The NBA record for a regulation game is Golden State’s 162-158 victory over Denver on Nov. 2, 1990.
Stat leaders
Johnson paced Atlanta with 36 points, while Young delivered a season-high 35 in his second start since returning from a right MCL sprain that sidelined him 21 games. Onyeka Okongwu added 23 points and Vit Krejci chipped in 20.
Chicago placed nine players in double figures. Coby White, questionable with a sore left ankle, scored 21. Josh Giddey finished with 19 points and 12 assists as the Bulls improved to 13-15. The Hawks, now 15-15, have dropped three straight and seven of their last nine.
Injury notes
Hawks center Kristaps Porzingis missed his sixth consecutive game because of illness. The club also announced that two-way forward Eli Ndiaye will undergo season-ending surgery for a torn labrum suffered in a G League game on Dec. 9.
The teams meet again in Atlanta on Tuesday night.
Source: ESPN
