January 1, 2026 — Facing three key injuries, Chicago Bulls head coach Billy Donovan introduced an unconventional, bigger starting unit that delivered a 134-118 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday night.
Donovan deployed Tre Jones as the lone backcourt player alongside forwards Isaac Okoro, Matas Buzelis, and Jalen Smith, with center Nikola Vucevic anchoring the middle. With Josh Giddey and Coby White sidelined, Okoro paced Chicago with a season-best 24 points.
“Everyone knows their role on this team,” Okoro said after the game. “We have enough here. Play with energy, play with a high spirit, do the things we can control.”
The Bulls used 10 players in total, bringing Patrick Williams, Dalen Terry, Jevon Carter, Kevin Huerter, and Ayo Dosunmu off the bench. Donovan noted that responsibilities could shift nightly as Chicago embarks on a stretch of six games in nine days starting Friday.
“It’s a results-oriented business, but I look at it as a 48-minute game,” Donovan said. “If we don’t play to an identity—covering for each other on defense, helping each other on offense, moving the basketball—we have no chance.”
White’s Calf Tightness
White experienced tightness in his right calf after his first back-to-back appearance of the season last weekend. Team medical personnel may avoid similar situations when he returns. “That’s been a topic of conversation,” Donovan explained. “They are trying to go through every minute detail that he does every single day.”
Trade Deadline Quiet—for Now
With the trade deadline five weeks away, Donovan said discussions with executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas have not included potential deals. “In the conversations I’ve had with Arturas, we have not talked about the trade deadline at this point in time at all,” the coach told reporters, adding that other teams’ evaluations often hinge on contract status and injury histories.
Buzelis Reflects on Draft Day
Second-year forward Matas Buzelis revisited his draft-night emotions in the latest episode of “Journey to the CHI” on Chicago Sports Network. “As soon as I found out the Bulls were picking me, it was honestly the best day of my life,” he said.
Source: Hoops Rumors
